Cerca:the great

By the time Jackie Mittoo released this outstanding album (his 4th), he had already gained a big reputation in the early days of Reggae, Ska and Rocksteady for his contributions to the Studio One catalog and his work with the Skatalites. With his beloved Hammond organ, endless talent and a bag on influences that included Jamaican sounds, Soul and Funk, Mittoo created a cool, moving, warm and groovy sound that would explode in his amazing dance songs and has gained cult status among followers of Jamaican Music, Soul and Funk lovers. A great collection of reggae-soul instrumentals by one of the most talented figures of the genre.

Collecting orders for Repress

"Upon at attempt to repair a broken DAT machine that was in storage for over 20 years, to Maaco's surprise there was a DAT tape still lodged inside! So what would one do? Of course pop that bad boy in a working machine and see what's on it! Enlightened by tracks that he hadn't heard in over 20-25 years, he's excited to share these once forgotten tracks with the world! It's with great pleasure for M.A.P. to introduce to you, the throwback tracks from the vault!!!"

Originally from Sicily but living in Basel, electronic composer Marco Papiro confirms his eccentric and multifaceted personality. The sound articulation of his analog synthesizers flows into in an artificial hyperrealism of great thematic and expressive variation. The tracks unfold between ascending cosmic moments, more ecstatic meditative tones, symphonic planetary floods, exotic afrodelic and psycho-andean drifts. Papiro synthesises and converts echoes of acoustic wind instruments (oboe, recorders, bamboo flute), while the percussion lives on its own pulsating reality. The influence of certain folk traditions, as well as contemporary music, also suggests the more acoustic flavor of an ethereal minimalism (for voice and psaltery), making his music a continuous open sea of visions. Cover painting by Anton Bruhin printed on two different colored papers. Co-released with Les Giants.

With great pleasure we welcome on board ADSR. This is not a standard EP but more a collection of 5 tracks made in the years between 1989 and 2001.

“Kicked” (1989) rides a driving dance groove with subtle Depeche Mode–influenced melodies, fueled by rolling arps and crisp string plucks. “Unit 3” (2001) hits with tough basslines and hard pads over a relentless beat, nodding to mid-80s EBM in the vein of Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy, and Front 242. “Unchained” (1990) drifts on a late-night 808 groove with glassy pads and house-leaning chord stabs, sliding into early techno territory.

The EP closes with two well known tracks but those versions of them have never seen the light before today. “Windswept (Desert Mix)” – 1994 is a pounding early-session track built on tripped-out SH-101 leads, evolving arpeggios, long sweeps, and a steady 909, made for getting completely lost in.“Suboceana (Early Version)” – 1991 serves seductive chord progressions and drawn-out, reflective melodies, a liquid journey for both listening and the dancefloor.

This latest project by Groovedesign Kollective is rooted in movement, thoughtful tension, joyful repetition and dreamy release.

United Tribes
The Groovedesign factor shapes itself in the opening track 'United Tribes' by repositioning intimacy over chaos, a life affirming sound that belongs to those magic early morning hours that really shape experiences. And generations. A unique blend of Afro, Funky beat and Disco Clubby grooves merging with visionary House piano's themes within a rich, deep electronic tapestry and dubby effects.

Supremes
This track perfectly complements the previous yet it is its own groove and carries great dancefloor weight. Further developing the concept of exquisite fusion and fine contamination between already blurred genre's lines, where feelings and emotions meet their sonic counterparts.

Feeling the dancefloor comes as a second nature to Groovedesign: unrelenting yet subtle, innovative yet grounded. Their music carries experience and innovation without announcing itself, guided by an intuitive sense of energy rather than formulas.

Recut & Represed!

As always Kling Klong gives space for new artists and supports upcoming talents. This time Martin Eyerer & Rainer Weichhold had no doubts signing this debut release from Stuttgart's dj/producer Ninetoes as 'Finder' is obviously a massive stand-out track which has the words 'summer hit' written all over it. So it was just easy to convince Leon and Re-UP from Italy to do the remixes and help to make this release even more oustanding.

Support from:

Matthias Tanzmann, Loco Dice, Adam Beyer, Nick Curly, Butch, Riva Starr, Popof, Kaiserdisco

DJ Feedbacks:
Adam Beyer: like the leon mix!
Loco Dice: Will try. Please send me the WAV. Thanks
Nick Curly: schöner release....leon remix gefällt mir am besten, danke!
Matthias Tanzmann: woher kenne ich denn die Melodie Coole Tracks auf jeden Fall.
Davide Squillace: Nice one..
Monika Kruse: der leon remix rockt.
Tiefschwarz (Ali): nice nice :) re-up rmx is my favorite.
Butch: leon rocks
Riva Starr: leon rmx for me thx
Claptone: supersonniger tune das original
Ramon Tapia: Leon mix is cewl !
Gregor Tresher: Leon mix sounds cool.
Chus: Leon and Re-Up mixes for me.
Popof: Great remix from re up ! love it
Kaiserdisco: Original mix is nice, will try it out.
Wally Lopez: Leon remix are huge!! Support
Shinedoe: I'll try it out.

The Vessel Recordings Group label is headed up by Ira James who has shown he has great taste when it comes to tapping into global house sounds. This new EP is another standout with Toronto talent Demuir behind the beats. He brings his signature mix of influxes to this one starting with 'Conversing With Angels' which has disco-tinged loops and soulful, feel-good vibes that liven up any party. 'Everynight' has a deep cut and funky groove that is made all the more arresting and emotive with the vocals and smart synth filters, while 'Mizz Hunni' comes as a hefty tech stomper and also as a dub.

DCLVIII the French based great producer is non stop working hard with several releases already on Laurent Garnier his Label COD QR.
And also non Elektronik Zoo sounds

From Harmony: I've wanted to do a collab EP with Kenny (Kid Lib) for sometime, as he's a great producer and friend. Kenny and I wrote "Dressback" together a few years ago, but never finished anymore colabs. Recently, I found it while going through my hard drive, and we both decided it still needed to be released. So each of us wrote an additional track to finish off the EP, giving you a bit of our separate styles alongside our collab.

The latest and greatest producer in a proud British tradition that good music need not take itself seriously. Outlandish samples, meet dissonant vibraphones in a combination that has been described as “lovely stuff”

Der meistgesampelte Reggae-Song aller Zeiten“ - Billboard Magazine Film / TV / Videospiel-Soundtrack: Inc. Ozark. Dexter. Belly. The Interview. Skate. Reebok und viele mehr Gesampelt von Lauryn Hill. Beyonce. Kanye West. Rihanna. Jay - Z. Groove Armada etc.
Aufgeführt in den 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time: Rolling Stone Magazine Ein letztes Mal auf einer 7"-Single und mit der entscheidenden Dub-Version des Original Stalag 17 instrumental

Limitierte Auflage in illustrierter Hülle - nicht verpassen!

Great Vacation! are just that: a momentary escape from a crazy world. Sunshine permeates every note, with good times abound when the band throws down. Both “Yellow Gold Diamond Fire” and “You Make It Look Easy” were recorded old school style with the whole band live in the studio to capture that special magic.

Artist Bio:
Great Vacation! was formed by Riley Geare in 2023. The lineup has rotated a bit but always includes Riley and guitarist Topher Mohr. Currently the group includes drummer Sheldon Reed (who appears on Yellow Gold Diamond Fire). Dedicated to an old school aesthetic, the band performs together live in the studio and has only ever done 2 takes of a song. Every track is recorded to tape for maximum stank. We thrive in the Southern California climate- lots of sunshine, classic cars, palm trees and love vibrations pervade the vibe.

A Place In My Memory Is All I Have To Claim is the new album by Australian atmospheric pop trio Hydroplane, the storied 'offshoot' formed by three quarters of independent pop group, The Cat's Miaow. On this, their first music after two decades plus of radio silence, Andrew Withycombe, Kerrie Bolton and Bart Cummings return to the gentle, close-quarters musical world they shared around the turn of the century.

Recorded during 2024 in Melbourne and Ballarat, A Place In My Memory… picks up the thread Hydroplane set down with its precursor, 2001's The Sound Of Changing Places, though you can hear echoes of their other releases, too, with Withycombe noting a through-line from the group's 1998 "Failed Adventure" single. There's little quite like A Place In My Memory…, then or now, though. Maybe you can draw some connections between Hydroplane and their sister group, The Cat's Miaow, while fellow travellers might include Empress, The Ah Club, and further back, Young Marble Giants, Veronique Vincent (the muffled, ticking drum machine also makes me think of Robin Gibb's Robin's Reign).

There's also an umbilical to the bedroom-crafted electronica doing the rounds in the late nineties and early noughties. Hydroplane hint at this through their approach to songwriting, which often builds creatively around loops as structural devices. Through all this, the trio achieve an effortless, organic weightlessness across these nine lovely songs. Many feature Bolton's clear singing voice, drifting along, while guitars, keyboards, drum machines and loops tickertape away. The constituent parts fit together, but they also have a curiously detached quality - think of abstract cloud formations sharing the same sky.

Hydroplane and The Cat's Miaow often dealt in emotional ambiguity and uncertainty, and the uncertainty of the nostalgic. This was always one of the most appealing facets of their music, and A Place In My Memory… is thus named perfectly. I couldn't dream up a better title for the album and its reflections on history, lived experience, and the inevitable tangle between these two phenomena. These reflections variously address such concerns as human cruelty, flight, space travel, adventurism and spiritualism. There's also "To the Lighthouse", not a direct reference to the Virginia Woolf book, but a great title, nonetheless. (They've always had excellent titles, often borrowed, for songs and albums.)

A beautiful collection of drowsy, sleepy pop, humble and quiet, but resolute in its craft, A Place In My Memory Is All I Have To Claim is dream work in practice; a lovely reintroduction. Welcome back, then.

Der Grammy-nominierte Schlagzeuger, Produzent, MC und Sänger KASSA OVERALL definiert die Grenzen zwischen Jazz und Hip-Hop neu. Verehrt von lebenden Ikonen und Underground-Trendsettern, begann er seine Karriere hinter dem Schlagzeug. Seine bahnbrechenden Soloprojekte haben ihn zu einer treibenden Kraft in der US-Jazzszene und darüber hinaus gemacht und ihn mit Unterstützung von Visionären wie Thom Yorke, Iggy Pop, Virgil Abloh, u.a. belohnt. Mit dem renommierten Doris Duke Artist Award 2025 hat Kassa seinen Status als führende Stimme des zeitgenössischen Jazz gefestigt.

Auf CREAM, seinem vierten Solo-Studioalbum, zollt Kassa seinen beiden Leidenschaften seiner Jugend Tribut – Hip-Hop und Jazz-Schlagzeug. Mit diesen Instrumentals verwandelt der visionäre Schlagzeuger und Produzent klassische Rap-Songs in zeitlose Standards, indem er das Kontinuum zwischen Jazz und Hip-Hop aus jedem Blickwinkel und ohne Abkürzungen erkundet und eine neue Interpretation des "Great American Songbook" bietet – eine Hommage an das reiche Erbe der afroamerikanischen Musik.

CREAM unterstreicht Kassas künstlerisches Können durch meisterhafte Arrangements, eine durchdachte Songauswahl und einen Sound, der seine Entwicklung nachzeichnet. Unterstützt von einer herausragenden Band mit generationsübergreifender Jazztradition verkörpert das Projekt seinen genreübergreifenden Ansatz und sein Engagement, den Jazz voranzutreiben.

Von Newport bis North Sea hat seine Band für ihre Live-Auftritte, die Gilles Peterson als "völlig surreal" bezeichnete, große Anerkennung erhalten. Er trat in der Tiny Desk Concert-Reihe von NPR auf und veröffentlichte mehrere von der Kritik gefeierte Mixtapes, die von der New York Times, NPR Music, The Guardian, Afropunk und anderen gelobt wurden.

Das mit einem Grammy ausgezeichnete Album "Stankonia" enthält den weltweiten Hit "Ms. Jackson" (über 1 Mrd. Streams) sowie "So Fresh So Clean" (250 Mio.+ Streams) und "B.O.B." (100 Mio.+ Streams) und taucht regelmäßig in den Listen der besten Alben auf, z.B. in der "Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time". Erhältlich als schwarzes 2LP-Vinyl-Set.

Back from ‘96 — Abacus’ legendary The Abacus EP returns, now reissued as Erotic Illusions. Deep, soulful and hypnotic house at its finest, straight from the Guidance era. Pure timeless heat — grab it before it vanishes again.


DJ Feedbacks :

Laurent Garnier : Classic <3 <3
Nick Hoppner : OOOOOH YES
Dan Beaumont (Chapter 10 / NTS) : Decadent dub for me! lovely
Louise Chen (NTS) : Huge fan, this is a wonderfully sexy reissue!
Joel Martin (Quiet Village) : Timeless Classic from one of the masters - Essential!
Kölsch (IPSO / Kompakt) : Still sounds so fresh
Sven von Thuelen (SVT / Work Them) : Sublime!
Josh Wink (Ovum) : Sounds just as great as when it first came out!
Satoshi Tomiie (Abstract Architecture) : Soooo good! Every details tuned precisely
Carista : sickkkk
Crackazat (Freerange / Local Talk) : yes. of course
Anthony Collins (Frank & Tony / Scissor & Thread) : fantastic record
Hunee (Rush Hour) : classic!
Call Super (Houndstooth) : lovely thxxx
Erol Alkan (Phantasy Sound) : Downloading Thanks!
Radio Slave (Rekids) : Such a big fan !!! Full support and congrats on the re-release. Peeps need to know about "Abacus".
Ben Sims : Now downloading... will check asap!
nd_baumecker (Ostgut Ton) : YAAAAAS! Finally I have this in a better quality than my vinyl rip from the original 12". Vinyl is preordered. Thanks!
Jonnie Wilkes (Optimo) : SEMINAL.
Lawrence (Dial) : OMG Fave Classic!
Fouk (House of Disco / Razor N Tape / Room With A View / Heist) : Ooooh yes! <3
Hector Romero (Def Mix) : Love it. H
Aleqs Notal : Lovely repress
Alinka (Twirl / Classic / Crosstown Rebels / Batty Bass) : Beautiful tracks
Terry Farley : fantastic reissue for those that missed the golden era
Ian Pooley (Pooledmusic) : Sooooooooo good !
Marcia Carr : The Dub without a lot less of the sleazy vocal is cool.
Nick Holder : FIRE
DJ Bone (FURTHER) : Poetic Illusions and Decadent Dub both work for me.
Nat Wendell (Depth of My Soul / Courtesy of Balance / Love & Loops) : classy!!
Luke Solomon (Classic / Freaks / Music For Freaks) : absolute classic Kenny Hawkes special xxx
ROD / Benny Rodrigues : !!!!
Domenic Cappello (Subclub) : still sounds fresh
Alexkid (Rawax / FUSE / NG Trax) : Total Dopeness
Jimpster (Freerange) : An absolute classic from the golden era! Got the vinyl but I'm sure these new masters will sound better than my well worn vinyl rip! Will keep on banging this beauty.
Bake (All Caps / Rinse FM) : the best! thank you for reissuing :)
Dj Deep (Deeply Rooted) : Nice to see this beautiful release available again
Kai Alce (Real Soon) : CLASSIK!!
Mr. V (Sole Channel / Strictly Rhythm / Salter / Defected) : Solid work on this classic Thanks
Baby Rollen (Holding Hands / Slump / Futureboogie) : timeless
DJ Gregory (Point G / Faya Combo) : Alwayes loved that classic
Tom Esselle (YAM / Rhythm Section / WOLF Music) : Killer reissue!
Harri (Sub Club) : nice, will play and support
Hifi Sean (Defected / Plastique) : Diggin' this dub big time
Jenifa Mayanja (Bumako Recordings) : This reissue sounds just as good second time around. Straight dance floor magic. Moody and dubby perfect to zone out to in a dark corner somewhere.
Demuja (MUJA / Let's Play House / Madhouse / Freerange) : nice!!
Marcel Dettmann : thx
Kosh (Syncrophone) : doesnt get any better than this
Dj Hutch (Ambers / Rinse FM) : Lovely deep business! Thank you!
Geir Aspenes (G-Ha / Sunkissed) : Kool, thanks
D'Julz (Bass Culture) : classic alert!

Following Volume 1, this second instalment of Classic’s 30th Anniversary series dives even deeper into the label’s visionary, genre-bending catalogue—balancing pioneering remixes, cult favourites, and future classics.

Once again, this 2x12” release is beautifully presented in a raw reverse board sleeve, a tactile nod to Classic’s earliest releases. Inside, are deep teal and green GMUND card stock inner sleeves with embossed detailing elevate the package into a collector’s item worthy of the music it holds.

Record One opens with one of the most revered remixes in house history. Isolee’s ‘Beau Mot Plage’ (Freeform Reform Parts 1 & 2), originally licensed from Germany’s Playhouse and lovingly reworked by Freeform Five’s Anu Pillai with a live ensemble. It’s a sprawling, euphoric journey that helped define Classic’s international reach and is still widely regarded as one of the greatest house records ever pressed.

Up next is Greenskeepers’ off-kilter banger ‘Bang in Your Face?’, showcasing the quirky, ‘G-swing’ sound for which James Curd and his crew became known for during their long-standing relationship with the label.

On the flip, Pépé Bradock’s jaw-dropping rework of Iz & Diz’s ‘Mouth’ takes center stage—a remix composed entirely from human sounds, equal parts sensual and surreal. Universally praised, it’s a masterclass in sonic innovation and remains one of the most acclaimed house remixes of all time.

The side closes with Markus Nikolai’s beloved ‘Bushes’, The First Re-Creation (Version 1.2) by Classic co founder Derrick Carter—a distinctive and maximalist edit that draws out the Latin horns, strings, and quirky vocals, turning a cult hit into a distinctly ‘Classic’ anthem.

Record Two captures Classic’s renewed energy in the 2010s.

Folamour’s ‘Devoted To U’ from his Umami LP is a 10-minute odyssey in groove—warm, progressive, and cinematic, with soaring piano lines and narrative richness.

Then comes Crazy P’s ‘One True Light’, shimmering with spacey textures, cosmic energy, and the deep, effortless groove the band has perfected over decades.

On Side D, we have Girls of the Internet’s lush and emotionally rich ‘When U Go’, blending soulful vocals with clean, spacious production that balances melancholy with movement.

Closing out Volume 2 is Sophie Lloyd’s now iconic ‘Calling Out’, featuring the unstoppable vocal force of Dames Brown. A modern gospel-disco-house anthem, the track glows with raw energy, live instrumentation, and spiritual fire—cementing its place as one of Classic’s defining moments of the last decade.




d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2




d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2




d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2




d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2




d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2

Composer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Laufey continues her story by writing and recording Bewitched, her second album. Inspired by jazz greats and classical masters while possessing a point of view that could only be conveyed by a 21st-century twentysomething, Bewitched represents an expansion of Laufey’s sonic palette.

Tracks like the breezy bossa nova cut “From The Start” and the smoldering string-assisted ballad “Promise” have classic songcraft and intricate arrangements that make them feel instantly
timeless, while Laufey’s conversational lyrics give her music a relatability to the next generation of jazz, pop, and classical aficionados.

Ambarchi, Berthling and Werliin are back, a little looser and wilder than before. Their ability to lock in and focus on the smallest of details is enhanced here by a sense of increased immediacy. Great news for fans of stimulating variations of tone and mood within a potentially infinite universe of rhythm and sound! The more you listen to Ghosted III, the better your hearing becomes. Or maybe it"s just that you hear more every time you play it.

Wally Badarou is a synth pioneer and musical polymath. But rarely does he sing over his sumptuous tracks. The 6 songs that comprise new record Simple Things finally realise Wally's vision for select backing tracks from his beloved Colors Of Silence.

The tracks were originally developed back in 2001 for the release of the original CD; here, Wally has “simply" added overdubs and vocals to their mastered mixes with some discerning edits. Simply put, Simple Things is another slice of simply stunning Wally Badarou genius.

Simple Things has been decades in the making. Indeed, Wally struggled not only with the idea of singing these wonderful songs himself but singing them in English and writing his own lyrics, while wrestling with the sensational backing tracks, which themselves seemed to have taken on a life of their own.

As Wally explained to us: "In addition to the instrumental artist I have been known as, so far, there has always been a singer who simply was not sure he was, up until now. Even though “Back To Scales Tonight”, my very first album, was, indeed, a song album."

Opener "It Couldn't Be You" embellishes the uptempo groove of soca-funk gem "The Lights Of Kinshasa". As Wally explained to us, it's about “a simple love story somewhere, one rainy night, under the lights of Kinshasa. A woman, a man, online dating, quite usual in our times. Then they meet, almost missing each other." The guide vocal Wally had laid for Colors Of Silence - with an organ sound - seemed striving for words in Linguala, a Congolese language he could not speak. Therefore the decision to do it himself was not an easy one, for it had to be in English to fit his singing. We think it turned out pretty good!

"You Can't Hide Always" vocalises Wally's deep concerns set to the propulsive "Smiles By The Millions": "Populism, ostracism, radicalism, ethics and values all turned upside down worldwide, are they all inevitably exacerbated by our social networks? It could all melt down one day, like a house of cards in the ocean of fake news and false prophecies”. Wally wanted to keep the track as bare as possible but, inevitably, the backing vocals and the synth-brass arrive ultimately to present a welcome 70s flavour, with no snare-drum added.

The bright and breezy "We'll Make It Again" adds vocals to "Where Were We", a tropical, reggae-tinged bounce through the islands. Here's Waly: "Where were we when we last said: "I love you"? Simple words to express something quite common, but never quite simple to deal with. A simple song about the resilience of the broken hearts.” The reggae came from it being conceived when Wally was scoring for “Third World Cop”, a 1999 Jamaican action movie.

"Walk Straight Ahead" provides Wally's gorgeous, contemplative and idiosyncratic vocals to the deep serenity of Colors Of Silence highlight, "Amber Whispers". It's a gliding, divine, mini melodic masterpiece. It'll make you swoon in its extreme beauty. As Wally describes, "it started as just whispers, sweet amber whispers. Then the colour turned darker, as darker skies seemed to fall upon us while the whole world keeps on walking ahead, straight ahead, regardless of the blatant warnings, feeling much too comfortable in conformity. Initially, the verses were to be spoken only. I realised they could be sung all the while, without overshadowing the ethereal atmosphere." Amen.

The serene, celestial "Painting My Life Blue" presents the vocal version of "Days To Wonder". Says Wally, "how does it feel when your second half is gone after decades of riding life together? Past the temporary loss of your bearings, you come to realise you've been blind to the essential, and suddenly you can see...For this most intimate song of mine, I had tried to come up with a melody on top of the existing backing track, long before realising the melody was in the keyboard part already. It just needed to be properly mixed with it."

The profoundly emotional "Just Two Lovers" works up the formerly-too-brief and glorious "Crystal Falls" into a much fuller masterpiece and features acoustic guitar sparkle before fully glistening with some gentle head-nod percussion. Waly explains further: "Dear little green men, please tell me, what is it about us that makes you want to come and visit us so often (contrary to Fermi's assertion)? And here is the reply I believe I heard them sing: "You've got the key you've been searching for: Love”. I reverted to the initial backing track I had made around 1985, which already bore the melody, and which I added acoustic guitars to, before singing it." An astounding closer.

A synth specialist, there can be few artists more under-appreciated given their vast influence than Wally Badarou. His solo work practically defined the sound of the Balearic DJs of the 1980s, and thus the more sophisticated sound of dance culture thereafter. He was one of the Compass Point All Stars (with Sly and Robbie, Barry Reynolds, Mikey Chung and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson), the in-house recording team of Compass Point Studios responsible for a series of albums in the 1980s recorded by Grace Jones, Tom Tom Club, Mick Jagger, Black Uhuru, Gwen Guthrie, Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs. Badarou's keyboard playing could also be heard on albums by Robert Palmer, Marianne Faithfull, Herbie Hancock, M (Pop Muzik), Talking Heads, Manu Dibango and Miriam Makeba. He also produced Fela Kuti. Phew!

When we asked Wally about the significance of this collection's title, he explained: "These are "Simple things” that everyday’s life seems to build upon. The simplest are the harder to describe, but when satisfactorily described i.e. with simple words, they are the more genuine and authentic to express and share. I’ve immersed myself in other classic song lyrics, something I hardly did before, just to appreciate the genius behind the simple words they were made of, and had a great time studying how powerful they were in expressing complex ideas such as love."

Recording was twofold: first, most of the backing tracks were recorded in 2001, in Wally's studio in Normandy, mostly using hardware synths and Yamaha digital consoles. Then, he fine-tuned the melodies and wrote the lyrics in late 2023, then added some overdubs and sang them all during summer 2024. States Wally, "Digital Performer was and remains the DAW I’ve been using throughout, ever since the 80s."

Wally's sophisticated synth textures and expressive keyboard runs are so full of character, so full of life, that this work of art transcends any easy genre categorisation. Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest possibly quality at Record Industry in Holland. Sometimes, the simple things are the most extraordinary.

Steve Moore reprises his beloved Lovelock guise by presenting his unique riff on the library breaks genre. Business And Pleasure contains grimy groove and sleazy, funk-laden lounge music.

This vinyl release is hyper-limited, with just 500 pressed for the world.

The LP is ushered in by the spacey synth-funk of the sleazy, woozy title track. This is that serious slo-mo cosmic-balearic head-nod shit. Laidback bass, heavy funk with dreamy synth and electric guitars. An outstanding opener. Up next, the dynamic, swaggering "Last Call" is a sophisticated, elegant stroll - sweeping, mellow strings, a smooth bassline and gorgeous percussion with urgent keys and swelling synths.

"Slinky Strut" is another spaced-out, sleazy funk groove with jazz rock by way of a heavy, heavy guitar riff, mellotron and bass breakdowns which build to brass crescendos. Gigantic. "First Class" closes out the side, and, like classic Hawkshaw / Bennett noir, it's got that mysterious and murky stretched out sleuth / detective soul with a great bassline and percussive elements, with swelling strings, ace synths and smooth Rhodes piano melodies entering the mix halfway through. Dramatic guitars and groovy percussion add extra intrigue. It's 7 minutes of funk!

Side B opens with the stretched-out psychedelic funk and jazz groove of "Stank 49". It takes its sweet time to unfurl, creating enormous - almost sensual - anticipation for the ensuing beauty but, as it does, we're left beguiled and straight-up hypnotised. Heaven-sent synth flourishes and a laidback bassline over smooth drums cement its simple, vivacious grace. "Dangerous Man" is that creeping crime funk we all love; heavy bass and fuzzy guitar riffs, mellow strings and sumptuous piano/synths. It's irresistible, it's ominous and it's pretty gargantuan. It's basically like an El-P hip-hop instrumental. We need to get some rappers over this stuff, stat!

"Stinkbug" is a dazzling and funky groove-fuelled jazz-rock workout with fizzing synth riffs joined by full percussion and drum breaks, building with strings to a strong swagger. Vigour! To close out this remarkable set, the breezy "Win Or Lose" is laidback soul-inflected funk, utilising urgent, skipping drums and galloping basslines. Just stunning.

This collection was written and recorded in Spring and Summer of ’24. Everything was tracked at Steve's home studio in Albany, NY except the drums and percussion, which were recorded by Jeff Gretz at his space in NYC. The whole collection is basically a rhythm section feature, so Steve's Rickenbacker 4003 and Fender Jazz Bass play very prominently. The bass guitar serves as lead instrument in a lot of these tracks. Also, lots of Rhodes and stringers (Solina, Logan etc) and guitar (Strat and Les Paul). He even dusted off my sax for this one, which he doesn’t do as often as he’d like!

This type of groove-oriented library music has been a steady part of Steve's diet since the late 90’s. In heavy rotation while writing this collection were the following classics: “Time Signals” by Klaus Weiss, “Tilsley Orchestral No. 10” by Reg Tilsley, and “Heavy Truckin’” by Simon Haseley. “Voyage” by Brian Bennett was also a big one.

Lovelock started as a dedicated Italo-disco project, but over the years Steve expanded it to include anything directly informed by the commercial/pop side of the music of his childhood (70s/80s). Writing and recording this album was, like a lot of Steve's music these days, basically a test to see whether or not he could do it.

The song titles, like the music, are meant to be evocative yet vague. But there is a bit of a travel theme. Steve imagined this record being the soundtrack to a sleazy salesman’s business trip. The kind of guy who, when asked if he’s traveling for business or pleasure, responds “both.” Beyond the traveling salesman comparison, the title directly relates to the creation of this album. This was something he wanted to do just for his own enjoyment. Yet, like our sleazy salesman, he still found a way to get paid.

The album’s cover was designed by Chris Stevenson, with no little direction from Steve. He knew that he wanted to go with something photography-based for this cover so, in true DIY/cheapskate spirit, Steve started by looking through his own photos. He found the cover image on his phone, taken through an almost empty bottle of beer, and it clicked. The whole album has a very boozy vibe (especially with titles like “Last Call”) so this shot seemed appropriate. We, hic, agree.

Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis, and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

A duo concert featuring universal artist and activist Moor Mother and Archie Shepp was planned for October 19, 2023, at the Enjoy Jazz Festival. However, a spinal disc operation on the then 86-year-old saxophone legend led to the cancellation of this eagerly awaited world premiere – and to a spontaneous demonstration of respect.
To honor the great Archie Shepp, one of the most influential intellectuals in jazz, an Enjoy Jazz all-star cast spontaneously recorded a tribute song during the festival – organized by festival director Rainer Kern. The line-up consisted of Nicole Mitchell, the most important flutist in the history of jazz, as well as the Enjoy Jazz “Artists in Residence” for 2023 and 2024, Moor Mother (spoken word) and Nduduzo Makhathini (piano).
In her lyrics, the poetess creates a powerful linguistic monument to Archie Shepp, whom she greatly admires, by playing with the titles of the saxophonist's legendary recordings (instead of with him himself). The title “One For Archie” is an allusion to Shepp's 1964 Impulse debut, “Four For Trane,” which, according to “Jazzwise”, is one of the “100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World.” In her moving text, Moor Mother also celebrates Shepp's political and social commitment.
The way Moor Mother rhythmically and aesthetically picks up on Shepp's unique playing style, which oscillates between rugged clarity and deep humanity, begins to improvise on it, and thereby creates new connections, is impressive proof of her masterful artistry. Her recitation is peppered with haunting dramatic climaxes that give listeners goosebumps due to their authenticity.
The B-side features “They've Got A Plan,” a song that is like a beacon. An intense and powerful invocation of “Agenda 2063,” a master plan of the African Union to transform the continent socially, economically, and politically.
Both tracks are available on vinyl for the first time.

The darker side of Arbilla well known since the Moving Forward EP released. “Wave Function” is absolutely mind-melting here, classy Detroit Techno elements inviting with FM bass line, intensive stabs build and complete the track.

“Shadow Of Dance” is the track for those closed eye moments - a perfect opening track...

The Japanese DJ/producer, label owner who released music on Yore, Motech and Compufunk Records now signed to an another great label.

What more is there to say? It’s a soulful techno thing…

Biz (Peter Elmaloglou) is back to Xistence Records with a track “Everything Changed”.

It’s with full of energy, heavenly melodies, frenetic acid and heavy stabs that builds up and down the track. SuperB!

“Lost In Space” as the title says is a spacey techno track of the highest order, Aubrey brings his signature sound with a massive distorted kicks and destroying bass that perfectly fits the dark atmosphere.

This is definitely a must have for every deep techno fans out there.

Providing more prolific dance floor energy this winter are Italian house pushers Black Box Records, a carefully curated VA of feel good vibe from producers Ruff Stuff, Floska, label founder Vito Fattore, and the eclectic sounds of, DJ GLC. Available on vinyl this Oktober.

Kicking off proceedings is Berlin based Italian, Ruff Stuff. A killer cut, with ice cold drum arrangement which becomes one with the playful chords which propel the energy of the ‘Son Of Will’ track, the female vocal sample sprinkled in for some added pleasure. Young Italian trio Floska deliver ‘Get Up & Dance’ dreamy and mellow sounds on a lo-fi tip, almost seven minutes of pure bliss.

The brain behind Black Box,Vito Fattore, steps up for the B1 as any leader should. Clinical dance floor moods, laced with emotion. Magical pads and synths work their way around the funk laden body of the track, explosive summer time feelings. Switching things up for the closing track is DJ GLC, with a deeper and darker energy than the other three track. Aptly entitled ’Suspense’ mechanical whirrs carry the track, as broken drums burst through the seams of the record. A trip through murky waters that compliments the EP in great fashion.

Another display of zestful house music from a blossoming label, sure to be a winner with tastemakers and groove explorers alike. One to watch out for in the coming periods as Black Box Records continue to supply you with what you need.

A record born of insurmountable joy and simultaneous profound loss; World Maker marks a time of great change for Psychonaut, both personally and musically, as the band burn away the philosophical narrative complexities of previous offerings with a searing, panoramic clarity that implores us to savour the beauty of the now as a means of leaving a legacy for the future. The traditional, three-piece line up of Belgian, psychedelic post-metal collective Psychonaut has long belied the compositional prowess, captivating narrative depth and crushing live presence of a band now operating at the forefront of forward-thinking, contemporary heavy music. Having sent a shockwave through the post-metal and prog scenes with their three times repressed Pelagic Records debut Unfold The God Man in 2020 before following it up with the transformative metaphysical complexities of 2022's Violate Consensus Reality, Psychonaut have played prestigious Belgian open-air festivals like Alcatraz, Rock Herk and Boomtown Festival as well as boutique events such as Soulcrusher, Roadburn Redux and A Colossal Weekend whilst sharing stages across Europe with the likes of Amenra, Brutus and Pelagic labelmates The Ocean and PG.Lost. The seed of World Maker took shape just as the campaign for Violate Consensus Reality came to a close, with the news that guitarist/vocalist Stefan De Graef was to become a father. This tilting of life's axis led De Graef, like most fathers-to-be, to re-assess what was really important. As such, the music he was inspired to write felt free of the band's previous philosophical and spiritual foundations and instead took the form of life lessons for his unborn son, a legacy of love in case something were ever to happen. This hopeful euphoria shines keenly throughout World Maker as an uncharacteristically optimistic warmth; from the reverberating Rhodes organ on the titular opening track and the meandering, free-jazz inspired guitar solo that introduces `Everything Else is Just The Weather' to elements of world music, electronica and the otherworldly voice of Dutch multi-instrumentalist and old friend Anthe Huybrechts (Anthe/Helion Creek) most notably on tracks like `Origins' which also features tabla, a pair of indian hand drums, as its propulsive heartbeat. Whilst Psychonaut's giant riffs, punishing polyrhythms and guttural vocal rage are more resplendent than ever, there is a wider dynamic spectrum to World Maker that sees the band proudly exploring their more delicate, intimate extremes as well as their most aggressive and abrasive. Not long after the birth of De Graef's son came the devastating news that both his own father and Psychonaut bassist/vocalist Thomas Michiels' father had been diagnosed with advanced cancers. Living day-to-day and torn between joy and grief, the band found themselves shedding the grand scope and world-shattering agenda of Violate Consensus Reality to focus on the here and now. Lead single `Endless Currents', the first full track on the album, explodes in a barrage of staccato guitar tapping but mellows to let the powerful, newly pared back lyrics ring out as a call to embrace the flow and follow joy. The song's final few words `Lead the way. / Soar. / Everlong.' double as both a greeting and a goodbye as the trio build their formidable post-metal might to a thunderous breaking point. Similarly, the pulsing, propellant `Stargazer', named so for De Graef's son being born in stargazer position, pairs delicate guitar motifs and folk-inflected optimism with huge and sprawling breakdowns as some of the band's most genre-pushing work to date; asking difficult but important questions of what happens next. It is `And You Came With Searing Light' though that most immediately exemplifies Psychonaut's redirected ambition on World Maker, as euphoria collides with blinding fury. The first track written for the album, `_Searing Light' is easily the most complex and initially wouldn't sound out of place on Violate Consensus Reality. Originally meant to be the new album's opening track; the decision to defer its impact, not to mention its compositional and dynamic gravity, speaks of a fundamental change to the band's very core. The words "Discover the world with wide eyes" recurring throughout speak as much to those having lost a part of their world as they do to those seeing it for the first time. Amidst such turbulent times, the band found strength and support within their Post-Metal community. The album was recorded and produced by the band alongside their longtime collaborator and close friend Chiaran Verheyden (Hippotraktor) with help and advice from Psychonaut's live engineer Victor, who will no doubt make this album sound just as awesome on stage. Even the artwork for World Maker was a family affair, being designed by close friend Sam Coussens of Belgian cosmic sludge metallers Pothamus. In the face of life's soaring highs and desolate lows, World Maker is direct and brave without sacrificing any of Psychonaut's raw power, creative innovation or inimitable musical depth. Where their previous full-length offerings have charted grand introspective courses through time and space, World Maker is breathtaking in its uncompromising clarity: a father singing to his newborn son as a son bids his own father farewell. FOR FANS OF Mastodon, Russian Circles, Tool, Gojira, The Ocean, Pelican, Hypno5e, Cult Of Luna, Amenra

A – Raise & Risk – The Itch

A tiny camel keyring tossed around on a contact mic and run through an ancient plate reverb makes up most of the percussions, odd ad-libs and wooshes in "The Itch". A 60 ton bass growl of mesozoic depth and some messed up hihats nicked from a previously discarded track round things off. Unfolds particularly well at high volume with ample Waterhouse-level low end.

B1 – Raise & Risk – Anthistamine
The initial minimalist groove of "Antihistamine" had already been in place for a while. But it was the log drums we added after a long night spent in a dark room surrounded by and partaking in mayhem that really tied it all together. Overall a moody and somewhat dissonant affair, the track breathes and oozes in unexpected ways, like we've never managed before.

B2 – Raise & Risk – Screwfix E17

Sirens wail, shouts compete for attention, a gnarly bassline tests your speakers and the drums switch between half- and doubletime 165 business. "Screwfix E17" is a rowdy loveletter to everyone's fav retailer of cheap tools and ambivalent service.

A bit of backstory behind this release, I first met Hilton (Jack Horner) at an event in 2012 that took place in a venue called Crucifix Lane (also known as Jack's, now defunct due to expansion of London Bridge station). He's good friends with Krome & Time who were performing that night and I remember chatting with him about jungle (I was still a very eager young lad that was in his first year of raving and very keen to talk about jungle/hardcore/d&b to anyone that would be willing to endure it!) and he mentioned that he used to make jungle in the 90s. I asked who he was and when he told me he was Jack Horner, I went mental because I was a big fan of the 2nd release on Spectrum Records (The Hoover & I Got This Feeling) and to actually meet the person behind those tunes was a really special situation for me to be in.

Unfortunately, I was too shy to get any contact details for him and I never saw him again or knew anyone that had a way of getting in touch with him. That was until very recently, when he had started attending Distant Planet events in London & I got the chance to meet him again, only to be shocked by him telling me that he had been following me & my music and was a fan of me & my label! This time, I made sure that I was able to get contact details for him, I was not going to make the same mistake as last time!

Last December, he messaged me asking if I would be up for doing a remix of The Hoover & I was quite unsure about doing it because of how much I really enjoy the original and feel like it does pretty much everything it needs to do with the sounds used. But, I thought it would be worth a try so I gave it a go and Hilton really liked the outcome (which was a huge relief ????), even though I was a bit too scared to change too much of it haha.

He then asked if I would be interested in releasing it on Future Retro London, which I'd never considered doing because I thought he would have had his own plans for it but I was willing to try & see if we could make a release out of this. I messaged Dwarde & Kid Lib to ask if they'd be up for doing remixes of the same tune (at the time, we only had access to the samples from The Hoover) and they both were and they did great work taking the original track in different directions, each in their own way.

Around the time of making The Hoover, Hilton made another tune with similar samples called After The Pain, which was never released, but he still had the tune. The problem is that he only had it in the form of a cassette recording, which wasn't very good quality and probably would not be easily cleaned up for release. So, I decided to remake the tune from scratch, using the samples I had from The Hoover, as well as sourcing & recreating other sounds used. I was able to remake the whole tune arrangement & then Kid Lib mixed it down to make it sound more sonically similar to how it would have sounded when it was originally made back in 94/95.

Anyway, story time over, big thanks to Hilton for his co-operation & assistance on making this release happen, to Dwarde & Kid Lib for their remix work & a special shout going out to Hughesee for going through Hilton's collection of floppy disks to find & record the samples for The Hoover.

Hailing from Detroit, Ryan has earned great respect over the years as a deej with a deeeeeeep
bag of records. This EP is a perfect reflection of that ethos - with tracks that will have you
covered no matter what time of night you're dropping the needle on this thing.

The A is heavyweight, peak time, disc jock business. Sarah O leads vocals to the A1, woozy,
dubbed out, blissy joy ride that is the club mix of "Between Dreams." It would sound at home on
all your favorite dancefloors, but especially those outside. The Great Outdoors baby: the biggest
room there is!

Next comes the mighty Acid Mix of the title track. Cop now so you won't HAVE to Shazam it the
next time you're hearing Mike Servito or Josh Cheon DJ!!! And the A side is wrapped up by 24
Hour House Music. A jittery proto house work out perfect for a night drive in YOUR city!!!
The B side gives us a more of a downtempo vibe, perfect for life's breeziest occasions. LA
legend Benedek lends his considerable talents to all 3 tracks, while Steven Grady and Noah
Triplett for the EP's final track - "Love Dub." All reminscient of Ryan's work as part of Symptoms
of Love, this side feels more like you're in a dream than between them.

Words courtesy of FOND/SOUND –

What makes チトチック/クラクラ (CHITOTIHC/KULA-kura) so fascinating is that, in some weird way, it’s a meeting of minds and musical language of disparate artists at the forefront of a new kind of groove. There might be no “L” in the Japanese language but that doesn’t stop it from trying to find a working substitute. Similarly, Chito enlisted members from his Asiabeat and East Pulse, others from Mu-Project, K2, and Adi, and brought in Haruomi Hosono to play mercurial bass. In the great expanse of experimental Japanese-made pop music all of them might have gone in “out-there” in separate directions but on this record it was Chito who pointed their focus all on the same track.

“Bayou (バイヨー)” presents this floating idea of dance music with beats and rhythms that hover among the ethereal. Other like “Scribble Dance (らくがき)” use Harry’s acid bass lines to dig cavernous grooves that only come up for air via adrenaline-fueled jumps by Haruo Kubota’s quite Adrian Belew-esque guitar lines. Perhaps, Discipline-era King Crimson is an apt comparison to what Chito and his crew pull off here.

Where Discipline signaled a way to reconcile the most out-there polymeter music of prog with the more satisfying parts of post-punk and the new electronic wave, so to do I think チトチック/クラクラ (CHITOTIHC/KULA-kura) has that bit of heart/spirit in mind. This is the out-there of Japanese experimental music satisfying the best parts of the, then, new electronic wave. It takes a certain degree of proficiency and sheer chutzpah to go from “11” to the wonderfully impressionistic, ambient minimalism of a track like “Sanghyang (サンヤン)”.

It’s the joy of not knowing what each new track will hold and just letting yourself follow the hard-working hands of such learned musicians that brings the most out of Chito’s vision. It’s this very liquid music that keeps you on your toes on tracks like “Astral Lamp (無影灯)”. Tracks like “Jagg-chagg (ジャグチャグ)” and “Filament (フィラメント)” present a fourth world music bifurcated in exponential parts by the glitch of newer, modern, electronic modalities, intersected by expressions by differing voices. Every track you switch to presents a new way to get lost in the many phases and places Chito wants you to travel to.

In the end, as always, it’s not the destination but the journey through it that plants this album in your memory. – Diego Olivas

Celestial Echo is here with one of the all time holy grail soul double siders. When we tell you a record will never leave your bag after buying it, this is exactly the record it applies to.

Originally released in 1970 and written, produced and arranged by the great Van McCoy, Washington D.C.’s Bobby Reed stepped up and delivered “The Time Is Right For Love” an incredible loved up stepper, and then “If I Don’t Love You”, a perfect compliment, another… loved up stepper.

This one isn’t a fresh find, or a new discovery - Just an essential, officially licensed reissue of an incredible slice of soul.

Slow Motion Records founder Franz Scala announces the infectious, ground-moving LP 'Cafe Futuro', a follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut ‘Mondo Della Notte’. Homage to the influential Neukolln bar and meeting point for Italo and Cosmic disco heads, 'Cafe Futuro' builds upon a bold and innovative sound, showcasing fellow creators and genre-defining artists, solidifying the Italo Aficionados sound, synonymous with the pioneering greats.

Slow Motion Records founder Franz Scala announces the infectious, ground-moving LP 'Cafe Futuro', a follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut ‘Mondo Della Notte’. Homage to the influential Neukolln bar and meeting point for Italo and Cosmic disco heads, 'Cafe Futuro' builds upon a bold and innovative sound, showcasing fellow creators and genre-defining artists, solidifying the Italo Aficionados sound, synonymous with the pioneering greats.

"The Happening by Tomorrow Comes The Harvest is the least case, a provocative confrontation. It's a challenge or dare to the idea that music can be useful if we are able to experience it. I would imagine that to many, music having an objective beyond the listener doesn't make sense because the general thought is that Music is made for us to consume, to make us remember, to influence us and to make us feel something. The Happening does all those things but much more. What it does is expand the scope from us to "it". Creating and constructing music for the subject of existence is a tall order.

The concept of The Happening is about the beginning and the end of Time and Space; the initial point of when reality starts and its conclusional apex. In the beginning, there is a great light. And from this light, comes life. Life is lived until it isn't.

This is what The Happening implies. It speaks about a 9-minute frame in reality, used to emphasize something that happened a very long time ago, something that happened in its creation and what will eventually happen far in the future.

The Happening was of an accidental birth. The love child of three musicians (Jeff Mills, Prabhu Edouard and Jean-Phillippe Dary) who was just asked to play "something" so that the camera crew could have extra b-roll for all the previous footages of the band while they were working in the recording studio in the North of Paris for their album Forbidden Planet. There was no discussion of what they'll do, no plan, no direction other than to use music to reach a level of consciousness.

Somehow within these transformative 9 minutes, something was felt by each of them, explored to its furthest point, which lead to this extraordinary creation. The Happening refers to the life and death of everything living thing. Infinity."

Jeff Mills

Original released in 1961

It's been over 60 years since the original recording, and now, this classic masterpiece is back in a monaural version with fantastic sound.

Hideo Shiraki, a key figure in Japanese jazz, left his mark with unique music and a strong presence. One of his standout works is "Matsuri no Gensou," recorded in 1961. This incredible piece takes a Japanese melody and transforms it into a cool jazz style, using a special arrangement with the koto. The collection also features exciting tracks like "Just One Or Eight" and the dynamic "Cherokee" with an amazing solo. Contributions from experts like Hidehiko Matsumoto and Yuzuru Sera add to the greatness. Even after 60 years, the music still feels fresh and passionate. Now reissued in monaural for the first time, this work stands as a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Enjoy the overwhelming sound of this significant piece in Japanese jazz history.

We are very happy to welcome Michele Del Vecchio to the RAWAX family!
We will present you this great talent from Italy on two ep's which will be out on CHIWAX.
The first one called "Move Your Time EP" will be out in April.
More to come!

This single gets together two rare and important tracks from legendary producer Lee “Scratch” Perry with singer Neville Grant.

SICK AND TIRED, the great vocal version of RETURN OF THE DJANGO, was released in 1973 on Downtown (DT.509) whilst
BLACK MAN’S TIME was released in 1972 on the Upsetter label.

These two outstanding tracks are in our opinion the best of Neville Grant’s recordings and among Lee Perry’s very best productions of this era.

As such, they were featured on several top compilations but are both quite rare as singles and highly collectable today…

The Danish/Norwegian duo of Ida Urd and Ingri Høyland believe that music is an extension of one’s immediate sensory environment. Duvet, their collaborative full-length debut, explores the way that creating sounds together is intertwined with various quotidian actions: establishing surroundings, rearranging furniture, moving towards the light, collecting flowers or other objects for aesthetic and sensuous impulses. Through a quiet and attentive process, music becomes a way of nurturing space: a soft architecture for play, writing, care, or simply rest.

Sonically, Duvet feels like an extension of Høyland’s last album, 2023’s Ode to Stone, which also featured Urd along with ambient musician Sofie Birch and visual artist Lea Guldditte Hestelund. But where that album, created in response to an open call for work themed around Denmark’s national parks, suggested rolling landscapes and endless horizons, Duvet turns inward, countering chill winds with glowing warmth. Its eight tracks seek a balance between abstraction and melody, intention and happenstance.

“We had a truly inspiring and rewarding process working with Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen from Vanessa Amara, who co-produced and mixed the album with us,” Ingri adds. “He approached the material with great care and sensitivity, while also bringing his own distinct presence and creativity into the sound.”

Høyland and Urd both studied at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, which has turned out many acclaimed artists over the past few years, including Erica de Casier, Astrid Sonne, and Smerz. Over many years, the two composers have developed a collaborative method based on connection and trust. A practice, they write, “where composing, or rather suggesting, sounds and melodies for one another is a way of carefully talking, mending emotions and obstacles. Saying yes to one another. The compositional space becomes a nest for entangling whatever emotions, thoughts, or barriers one of the composers brings to the given day or moment.”

Quiet and contemplative, Duvet is simple on the surface but rich in timbral, textural, and emotional complexity. Høyland and Urd sourced their sounds from an array of instruments and techniques—electronic devices, modules, pedals, and also electroacoustic treatments of various wind instruments.

Mixing primarily through analog tape units added further mystery and depth, weaving together wordless voices and unknown sounds—breathing, rustling, perhaps the coppery gleam of Urd’s electric bass—into a dynamic matrix. Like a nest, pull one twig and the whole thing unravels.

In the winter of 2023, Ingri Høyland and Ida Urd retreated to a summer house along the coast to create the album. Picture the scene: an abiding quiet all around. Gardens carpeted by snow; beach grass silvery against the silvery sky; a tendril of smoke rising from the chimney. Not another soul in earshot. This sanctuary was the perfect setting to yield this meditation on shelter, trust, and communication. The two composers hope the album can be a similar space for others—a temporary space of residence, it can represent a summerhouse, a cabin in the woods, your favorite bench or wherever you need to go. “The album also works really well when picking out apples in the supermarket” Urd laughs.

a long-awaited reissue of an ultra-rare 7-inch single, originally released as a promo-only item from handsome boy, the 1990 masterpiece by inoue yosui—widely regarded as one of the greatest singer-songwriters in japanese music history.

“pi po pa,” arranged by haruomi hosono and used in a tv commercial at the time, was featured on heisei no oto, a compilation released by music from memory. the album’s standout track, “shonen jidai,” remains one of japan’s most iconic and beloved songs.
also included on this 7-inch is “yume migokochi,” a pinnacle of japanese balearic sound, arranged by yuji kawashima—keyboardist of ep-4, a kyoto-based band essential to the history of japanese new wave.

and exclusive to this release is “kurenai suberi,” an overlooked gem that might best be described as inoue’s take on cold-funk.

remastered from the original master tapes by kuniyuki takahashi, and housed in the ori-ginal artwork.

Four years ago Andermay released their last album 'El Viaje Inesperado'. We missed the talent of Nemowave and the magical voice of May. It's been way too long but the wait is finally over! The new vinyl of Andermay is an EP including two great tracks.
On A side, El Olvido, a very personal but also catchy new track with an Electro Potato Remix more dancefloor oriented.
The opening track for the album 'El Viaje Inesperado', 1989, was originally intended to be an album instrumental intro but we thought it deserved to be a track itself. So, B side is the whole version of 1989, including a brand new Vocal.

Available on Splatterd red/black vinyl and on black vinil.

Since his earliest days, Ben Frost has been fascinated by the cinematic qualities of the guitar. His output to this point has hinted at this, but with »Steel Wound« he makes a bold statement of intent.

Finding his way to a deserted stretch of Johanna Beach along the Great Ocean Road (Victoria, Australia) in early 2003 Frost set up a remote studio at a derelict cabin overlooking the icy waters of Bass Strait. With a constant wind flowing off the sea his only companion, Frost started work on a series of improvisations that would eventually become »Steel Wound«. A few months go by and Frost has made his way back to civilization. He begins editing the masses of treated guitar from the Johanna Beach improvisations and before long a theme takes hold - one that very much reflects the isolation of the environment where the tracks were created.

Each of the pieces on »Steel Wound« is a epic journey, coloured with a deep sense of filmic narrative and suggested dialogues. The textural quality of the works, laced with field recordings and lost vocal fragments, sketches out the emotional soundscapes Frost had unwittingly gathered during his time at Johanna Beach. Each piece is a splintered fragment in time – a forgotten memory beautifully rediscovered in a moment of introspection.

Limited edition transparent vinyl pressing of Tom Rowlands' first release on Phantasy. ‘Through Me’ is an all-cylinders, propulsive elasticated house track while ‘Nothing But Pleasure’ is eight-plus minutes of unstoppable Metallic KO disco. Both tracks reiterate the point that Tom is unarguably one of the greatest producers of club music around.

Clear vinyl comes in a stickered heavyweight reverse board sleeve..

Introducing Small Great Beats – a boutique vinyl series born from the legacy of our flagship release, Small Great Things. The SGT Series offers collectors and music lovers an exclusive dive into curated sounds that blend anthem-worthy melodies, emotive grooves, and floor-focused energy. Each release is strictly limited to 200 hand-numbered vinyl copies, making every edition a true collector’s item. The second chapter SGB002 in the Small Great Beats journey is Luca Olivotto’s spellbinding 4-track EP, Say Who?!, pressed on a stunning light turquoise vinyl. This release showcases Olivotto's diverse sonic range, with the A-side delivering two melodic highlights – the title track Say Who?!, with its anthemic atmosphere, and Work, a groovy cut infused with disco flair, while the B-side shifts the focus to the club, featuring the driving bass of I’ll Show You and the deep, dub-influenced closer, Love Spreader. A must-have for fans of timeless dance music with character and depth, Small Great Beats is where collectibility meets curated quality.

Australian post-grunge band Silverchair released their debut album Frogstomp when the band members were only 15 years of age. In just 9 days they recorded a fantastic album, in which they show that even young teenagers know how to rock. In the tradition of Pearl Jam and Nirvana they recorded an album sounding like Stone Temple Pilots. Daniel Johns is not only a great vocalist, but also a good guitar player, both playing slow as fast songs. Yes, this is definitely one of the best efforts you can make when you’re still this young. And even now almost 15 years after its release it sounds fantastic.

Francois Kevorkian (Wave) : Lovely EP, atmospheric vibes.
Chris Udoh (Various) : Lovely !!!
Lea Lisa (Phonica Records / Folklor Club) : Fred P is a master of deep house. Live Long Love & When in Miami for me.
Will Hofbauer (Third Place, Wisdom Teeth, Rinse) : nice n deep ty!
Radio Slave (Rekids) : The King is back and what an EP ! Full support.
Jon Hester (Rekids, EDEC, Les Enfants Terribles, L.A.G.) : Lovely vibes on When In Miami and Live Long Love!
Jacques Renault : Nice EP, into When In Miami and The Heights in particular
Danny Howells (Dig Deeper) : Love Fred so much, always the highest quality music with soul. All four are stunners.
Dan Beaumont (Chapter 10 / NTS) : Always brilliant.. deeep! When in Miami for me
DJ Sprinkles (Comatonse) : thank you
Kai Alce (Real Soon) : Live Long Fred P!
Tomoki Tamura (Holic Trax) : pure class, deep house
Raresh (ar:pi:ar) : super! thanks
Laurent Garnier : FRED P alwayssssssssssssssss
Marcel Dettmann : thx
Archie Hamilton (Microhertz / FUSE) : Nice thanks
DVS1 : thanks
Alinka (Twirl, Classic, Crosstown Rebels, Batty Bass) : Beautiful tracks
Pat Hyland (Northside Loft Society) : Fred P is a master of deep. AWEsome EP!
Thor (Thor-Thule Records) : Another great release by the master of Deep House. Full support
Colin Dale : One of my fave producers from way back! Excellent 4 tracker with all the cuts 'hittin' the mark'. Will rotate & support.
Geir Aspenes (G-Ha (Sunkissed)) : Thank u
Jaye Ward (Dalston Super Store / Netil Radio) : Syncrophone just continues to churn out the goodness.. love Fred P too. so deep and full of the good soul ace! thx
Ame (Innervisions) : thanks
Domenic Cappello (Subclub) : love this
Greg Gow (Restructured / Transmat / KMS) : cool vibes full support
Jerome Sydenham (Ibadan) : When Miami is the business! Overall nice E.P!
Bill Brewster (NTS) : FRED P RETURNS!
Bailey Ibbs (Metafloor Records / Habits / Dansu Discs) : Live Long Love <3

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Melopea, presenting two new pieces highlighting the incredible voice of Amelia Cuni (1958-2024), the great Italian singer, based in Berlin in later life, whose mastery of the classical Indian dhrupad developed in parallel with a commitment to contemporary experimental approaches. After two stunning archival releases documenting traditional dhrupad performances in India in the 1990s (BT079 and BT092), the two side-long pieces here embody the freedom with which Cuni explored new contexts and settings for her singing.

Both make use of a long recording of Cuni singing the pentatonic Raag Bhoop (or Bhopali) made in 2012 by her partner Werner Durand in Berlin. ‘Melopea’ began from Cuni and Durand’s superimposition of this recording with violinist Silvia Tarozzi and cellist Deborah Walker’s performance of Éliane Radigue’s ‘Occam River II’. Inspired by the beauty of this chance encounter (and other experiments with non-synchronous collaboration during the pandemic years), Tarozzi and Walker recorded independently, without hearing Cuni’s voice but ‘having her present in memory’. Tarozzi and Walker’s bowed strings places Cuni’s magisterial performance in a new context, emphasising, as Radigue commented upon hearing the initial layering of her piece with Cuni’s voice, a shared ‘searching toward the partials, overtones, these natural constituents of acoustical sounds in their richness’. Beginning with whispered bowed harmonics, the violin and cello swap the stability of dhrupad’s traditional tanpura drone for a slowly evolving, uneasy web of harmonic interactions recalling some of Harley Gaber’s work, sometimes sitting on dissonances for long periods or allowing changing interference patterns to come to the fore. Primarily focusing on her lower register, Cuni’s performance demonstrates her mastery of microtonal pitch subtleties, elegant sweeping glissandi and meditatively unhurried pacing.

The continuation of the same recording by Cuni forms the foundation of ‘Bhoop-Murchana’, with Anthea Caddy on cello and Werner Durand on soprano saxophone. In contrast to the randomised layering of the first piece, here Durand and Caddy have carefully selected pitches based on the raag Cuni sings, using the ‘Murchana’ form, which uses the constituent notes of the raag as tonics of new raags, retaining the same interval structure. Both players who have developed tones of striking depth and harmonic purity on their instruments, Caddy and Durand’s patient long tones are simultaneously rigorously grounded in the physical properties of sound and possessed of an immaterial, floating quality. Combined with Cuni’s voice and, near the piece’s end, her contributions on hammered and plucked tanpura, the effect borders on miraculous. To surrender to this music is like slipping into an onsen pool, feeling the instantaneous release of every tension. Accompanied by liner notes from Durand, Tarozzi and Walker, Melopea is both a moving tribute to the profound art of Amelia Cuni and, for the uninitiated, a perfect introduction to it.

Shhh. The command to be quiet is not just part of the title of one of the two sprawling compositions on this pioneering album. It's also an apt metaphor for the relaxed hypnotism and spaced-out atmosphere that define In a Silent Way, a record that pushes the boundaries of studio possibilities, artist-producer relationships, and rock-jazz chasms. Recognized as Miles Davis' first full-on fusion effort and part of his "electric" era, the 1969 landmark claims a Who's Who line-up that sends the music into an ethereal stratosphere.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, this unsurpassed 180g LP edition lifts the veil on the cutting-edge assembly process that created the pair of lengthy suites. Helmed by three electric instruments, the bevelled compositions melt away all preconceived notions of "jazz," ˜rock," and "ambience," following a loose theory Davis dubbed "New Directions."

Few albums are so delicately textured. And on Mobile Fidelity's meticulous reissue, such sulcate elements pour over ink-black backgrounds on a canyon-wide soundstage. In particular, Tony Williams' inventive percussive touch – he causes the cymbals to shimmer as a pieces of silver tend to do when exposed to sunlight – is broadcast with lifelike three-dimensional qualities, the panoramic view extending to Davis' nocturnal trumpet, Wayne Shorter's ribbon-unfurling saxophone, Dave Holland's extrapolative bass, and the mosaic of keys.

If the record's only accomplishment is its introduction of guitarist John McLaughlin to the world, it alone would be enough. Yet In a Silent Way continues to bedazzle, puzzle, and inspire for myriad reasons – not the least of which is the seemingly telepathic communicative methods employed by the group's members. The line-up is great on paper, but, if it's even possible, the octet sounds even better in practice, with the instruments and tonalities conjoining in avant-garde communion like hyper-sensitive tentacles exploring the stippled landscapes of an undiscovered planet.

Diverting from expectation, tubular grooves twist, turn, and spin, sometimes piling atop of each other, always shying away from structure and melody. Ellipsoidal solos provide hesitant guidance, ranging from Chick Corea's Fender Rhodes phrases to Davis' decorative spirals. And as colour is the primary unit of currency on Davis' Sketches of Spain, laid-back episodes, geometric spaces, and quiet sensuality reign here, with the set's maverick reputation attained via musings on solitude rather than explosions of noise.


Controversial for the period, the heavily edited production of In a Silent Way blew open the once-locked doors on what producer's could attempt – and how artists could assist them. Knitted together as one would construct a cross-hatched quilt, songs contain grafts of repeat passages that provide unifying structure and experimental continuity. What a statement.

Fruits Records proudly presents ‘Let Peace Reign’, the brand new instrumental single by Nat Birchall and The 18th Parallel.

Hailed by Gilles Peterson as ‘one of the best musicians in the UK’, jazz and reggae saxophonist Nat Birchall has grabbed listeners attention with his soulful sound and inspirational spiritual music. He has produced some of the finest vintage roots reggae instrumentals including majestic works with Vin Gordon and Al Breadwinners. His ethereal tone reminiscent of reggae giant Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks (Light of Saba) is the perfect match to The 18th Parallel raw and heavy sound.

Recorded fully live on 2-inch tape by the Swiss rhythm section, the session captures the raw, authentic energy of roots reggae at its purest. With warm, organic tones and a timeless feel, ‘Let Peace Reign’ not only pays homage to the greatest days of instrumental music and to the golden era of reggae recording, but also send a much needed message to a troubled world: Let Peace Reign. Pressed with care on 7-inch vinyl, with a super heavy dub mix on B side by French duet Dub Shepherds, this release is more than just a record – it’s a tribute to the culture of collecting records, preserving sound, and sharing vibes across generations.

"Hiss Golden Messenger delivers anthems for our times."
The Independent

"MC Taylor offers up soulful Dylan-esque country rockers about the impact of the system on ordinary lives."
The Guardian 4/5

WE THE NORTH is Swedish musician Johan Hansson who has been active in the dark electronic music since the early 2000’s with his project Cyanide, then Unitary, and also exploring dark metal with his project Mondocane. Johan defines his music created in WE THE NORTH as Nordic Noir “with an intentional and deliberate blending of the old with the new a melancholic hopefulness is created from the dark seasons of life in Scandinavia.”

“Love + Death” is WE THE NORTH’s fourth album and the first on NADANNA after contributing a remix of Tobias Bernstrup’s track “Private Eye” in 2021. The songs on “Love + Death” are birds of a feather, brimming over with melancholy and melody, yet driven by a hammering sixteenth note synth bass and sounds from the Roland TR-707 drum machine, and melancholic lyrics in English or Swedish.

Linval Thompson is one of the great roots vocalists that ruled the dancehalls of Jamaica in the mid 1970’s. His distinctive vocal style and roots lyrics, that spoke of the struggles that faced the Rastas, hit a chord with the people of Jamaica, and provided a string of hits for him in the dancehalls. This in turn, would set a tone that he carried on through his musical career and future production work. Linval Thompson (b.1959, Kingston, Jamaica) was actually raised in Queens, New York. He cut his first record there at the age of 16 ‘No Other Woman’ with future Third World singer Bunny Ruggs. He also cut a couple of tracks for a US producer E Martin ‘’Jah Jah Deh’and ‘Weeping and Wailing’. In 1974 he returned to Jamaica and cut ‘Mama Say’ and a version of D Brown’s ‘Westbound Train’ for producer K Hobson which got Thompson noticed by producer Phil Pratt. Pratt took him to Lee Perry’s Black Ark studio’s where he cut ‘Kung Fu Man’. Thompson’s friendship with fellow singer Johnny Clarke led to a meeting with producer Bunny Lee. His first track cut for Lee was ‘Don’t Cut Off Your Dreadlocks’ and it became a big hit in Jamaica. Bunny Lee was the producer of the moment and Linval added to his long list of hit singles with ‘A Big Big Girl’, ‘Cool Down Your Temper’, ‘Ride On Dreadlocks’ and the title of this compilation ‘Jah Jah Is The Conqueror’. He seemed to hit a musical height working for Bunny Lee (who as he has done with many of his singers) encouraged Linval into production work himself. Which has led to another chapter in Linval’s story. Working with an array of artists including, Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Barry Brown, Rod Taylor and many more. But it is his singing career that we focus on here and that great period in reggaes history the mid 1970’s where Linval delivered a string of classic hits that we have compiled for you here. Hope you enjoy the set.

Big one from Milanese maestro Inner Lakes. Hell-bent on making 2025 his year, the Kalahari debutant maintains form and momentum with the latest in a flurry of vital releases.

A meticulously-crafted 4-tracker imbued with menace and urgent, late nite throb, it’s precisely the spiralling, nocturnal kinda style that has become his hallmark. Streetwise, upfront and packing a sizeable amount of f*ck-off NRG.

Expect noirish, night-stalking rave suspense and hardware-fuelled, high-velocity torque. Best heard in the company of shadow-dwelling spectres, or perhaps, at the event horizon of a black hole.

DJ tools reveal greater depth and nuance upon closer inspection, and disembodied vocals lure inquisitive ears deep into the dream state. Finely measured throughout, it’s a masterful balance between functionality and full-blown dancefloor immersion, all courtesy of a fella at the top of his game.

Written and Produced by Inner Lakes.
Mastered and cut by Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering.
Distributed by One Eye Witness.
Artwork by S.O.N.S

This exciting 45, features two previously unheard 60s, New York soul, dance tracks.

Big Apple session singer and occasional composer, Doris Willingham, first had a rare release on the Hi- Monty label in 1966 and then in 1968 cut four sides for drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. All were produced by Richard Tee and co-written with Doris. They were licensed to Ed Kassner who launched his Jay Boy label with ‘You Can’t Do That’ in both the UK and the USA. A change of strategy caused the US label to be discontinued after two releases and the UK then switched primarily to home-produced recordings. The two best Willingham sides lay dormant at President’s tape library until Ace released the killer ballad ‘Too Much To Bear’ in 2005. The fourth track is this superb dance number featuring the great Purdie band, no doubt featuring his usual bassist Jimmy Tyrell, who arranged the Hi-Monty 45.

The Taylor Brothers ‘Holding On’ is a much grittier affair, produced by Maxine Brown’s husband at the time, Mal Williams. The duo were Bennie “Earl” Bunn and Sam “The Man” Taylor and they wrote this, the third track recorded at the session that produced the ‘People In Love’ single on Joy. Sam had been a major mover in NYC black music circles since the 50s with his own bands and had fingers in many pies. The duo gave a performance worthy of some of the great 60s male soul couplings.

The session that Clarence Daniel featured Obie (Young) Jessie on as the vocalist, consisted of three marvelous jazz/soul tracks. Two sides sold very poorly on release on the Modern subsidiary Affiliated in 1966. However, early in the next millennium, ‘Hard Working Girl’ was picked up and played by retro DJs to great acclaim. The demand for the few, scarce existing copies, rocketed the price, thereby leading to Kent re-releasing it.

The third recorded track at the session, was equally excellent, so we have taken the opportunity to release ‘Got A Good Thing Going On’ on vinyl as a Kent Select 45 for its many fans. With ‘Hard Working Girl’ now deleted and still needed by more recent converts, it makes for a great new release.

This plate is about to welcome back one of the unsung heroes from the 45 Seven lands of dub, meditating with us from day one. Weather it may be about 4578's foundations of the rolling Dub Over Distance along the shuffly Dub Pacifico or the later forward lurking tribal jungles of Black Lake flipped by Lack Blake on 45719: Dub Across Borders always knows to amaze with both a contemplating deep inner focus of well laid-out hand-made instrumentation and vintage dubbing as well as refreshing ear-opening sounds and soul-pleasing vibes collected from all over the world, creating a very own sphere of what feels like some kind of ancient sci-fi riddim, rooting upwards to the phuture.

When sweating over a hot mixing desk and hoping for a fresh breeze, the roots of Come Rain were laid in a form of bassdrums knocking at the sky's gates, stabby infra subs foreseeing well-wished thunders and moist dark skank works are calling for storm. An inner shout for the elements, incarnating in a certainly minimal yet pretty heavy 160 stepper, rolling over all the dry hot air out there.

Yeh Sih Dub comes after the rain: new branches grow, fresh leaves spread, foggy clouds reach up for a mountain-high rainforest. Awakening the world bass side of Dub Across Borders, it gives you ceremonial Bhuddist horns as well as houting sounds of the tantric Khamak, a poundy stab bass and the shimmering spring-splashing ride sitting on top as its crown. Only rarely 80 bpm bass has been as easily touching and moving at the same time.

Take a deep breath and dive into this piece of both mindful and reflective space bass, launching sub-heavy Jungle onto imaginery moons of spacial perception. We are actually just about to start this journey, feel free to get aboard!

"Absolute gold, thanks a bunch" Will be supporting lots" Pugilist
"Epic Dub pressure, big fan of Dub Across Borders" Sun People
"Sounding great as usual, will play for sure!" Tracy & E3 of Zamzam

Finally, I was able to devote some time to actually getting some collaborations completed for a new release of the Meeting Of The Minds series, with some brand new names arriving to Future Retro London!

Nebula is one of my favourite artists making new jungle atm, his versatility in music on the darker & lighter sides of the spectrum, the richness of his atmospherics and melodies & the way his drum edits flow throughout his tracks, I consider him a big inspiration in what I make. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to work with him on "Without Fear".

I've been enjoying some of what Stekker's been doing in his music, representing the ruffer lo-fi side of production and he's been putting out some great stuff on his own label Ruff 'n' Tuff as well as on a release he did for Coco Bryce's label Myor. I reached out to him about a collaboration and he had started something, which I was really into and that led to "The Quest".

I owe a lot to DJ Trace, as he was one of the first big names in jungle/d&b to really show me support for what I was doing. He gave me my debut vinyl release when he asked me to remix an old classic of his called "Final Chapta", which he released in 2011 on his label DSCI4. I also had music released on a label he started a few years after that called 117 (which I also helped design artwork for), so we go way back. He's been making more music than ever before recently and I was lucky enough to be able to get a collaboration in with him and "Patterns Of Thought" is the end result of that.

I've known Ark X & Duburban for a number of years, I would see them at a lot of events up north, as well as at events in London that they'd travel down for. They also were good friends with Kid Lib and would drive down with him whenever he was visiting/DJing in London & I was becoming familiar with their music through him, through Ark X's labels Supercharger & Hypercharger (where some of Ark X's music was being released under his previous alias of Black Orchid) & through Duburban's collaborations with Jahganaut. Big up to both of them for collaborating with me on "Come A Dance"

First things first, I want to thank Nectax for his patience, because he's been regularly sending me his music for well over 2 years & I was so swamped with other music being sent to me on a regular basis from other people, that I never made the time to actually check most of what he was sending me or to properly get back to him in response to the tracks of his that I did check. It's hard making time for listening to demos submitted for Future Retro London, amongst all the other commitments I have to take care of on a day-to-day basis, but he kept at it until I was finally able to realise what I had been sleeping on for so long.

Now that's out of the way, I was first made properly familiar with his music through his release on Over/shadow, as well as seeing some of his sets in London and hearing other people supporting his music, which made me more vigilant towards any music he'd send to me.

He sent me "London Bridge" and I really liked it, so much so that it gave me some ideas that I wanted to add to it & we turned it into a collab. He also sent me "Akaizen" which to me, is my favourite track of his that I'd heard of everything he'd sent me (that I actually made effort to check!), which Harmony has done a great job remixing. And then to complete the release, he met up with Champa B (who's based near him) to work on "Prisoners Of Psilocybe", and like that, it all came together in the end!

Big thanks to Nectax for his music (& again, sorry for being so consistently slow to respond!), to Harmony for his quality version of "Akaizen" & to Champa B for collaborating on "Prisoners Of Psilocybe".

Max Essa is a firm part of the neo-Balearic mafia and shows off his trademark take on the summer-ready sound with this return to Is It Balearic? 'Camel Night-Rate (Clear To The Ocean)' kicks off with a great blend of chug, dubby low ends and shimmering synth work while 80s chords light it up with good vibes. A Be.Lanuit remix is more serene and stripped back for late night dreaming then 'Love's New Meridian' sinks into a melancholic and downbeat world of sunset charm with wispy pads. The Coyote Mellow remix reworks it as a gently breaking wave on a moon-lit beach. Classy tackle all round.

Based in the small but rather cool northern UK town of Todmorden, Tea Breaks is making a big name for itself, much like the local hotspot The Golden Lion, which has long been booking top-tier DJs and throwing proper good parties. Now the label delivers another standout release that collides legendary hip-hop with global rhythms. Opener 'Breathe & Stop' fuses Bollywood vocals with classic East Coast bars while 'Tea & Beer' drifts on woozy rhythms, world percussion and smooth female bars. 'Broad Nod Factor' brings golden-era goodness and sunny flutes, and 'Ms Fat Booty' closes with dark soul swagger that defined NYC in the mid-90s. These are, once more, four inventive mash-ups that bridge cultures and eras with effective style.
classic East Coast bars, 'Tea & Beer' has drunken rhythms and world percussion with silky female rap tones, 'Broad Nod Factor' rolls deep with a golden-era edge and sunny flutes and 'Ms Fat Booty' shuts down with dark soul swagger. Four great mash-ups.

Berlin's ://about blank club has long been a top hangout for the city's more discerning heads and this year it marks 15 years in the game. It does so with this tenth release on its label arm - a triple EP compilation that brings together 12 exclusive tracks from key artists tied to the venue and who reflect its adventurous musical identity. Kalipo's vocal-driven anthem 'My Heart Is A Hotel' kicks off with cold wave synth energy, then Lawrence's dreamy minimalism casts your mind adrift. There is also Alex.Do and Sylvie Maziarz deliver high-energy techno and rave, deeply cinematic cuts from Inigo Kennedy and Hagen Richter, while Rodmin and Ahu offer lush, hopeful house. The final slab offers moody hypnosis from Anja Zaube, Erik Jaahalli, Irakli and Fragen shuts down on a cosmic note. A great snapshot of ://about blank's sound.

RAWAX proudly welcomes Khan to the artist family! We are very happy to present you this outstanding artist on his own series with new, past and present music. Starting with Khan feat. Julee Cruise - Say Goodbye from 2002 - originally released on iconic Playhouse! Besides the great remixes by LoSoul and Rework, our version features for the first time the unreleased Isolée Mix - highly recommended!

We are excited to announce the return of the iconic Totally Wired series with a brand new collection on LP and CD. The first 50 orders will include a special art print of the artwork. We are also doing a limited edition T-shirt to celebrate this milestone!

In 1988 Acid Jazz released its first compilation album ‘Totally Wired: A Collection From Acid Jazz Records’. Compiled by Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson it collated 11 tracks that summed up the early days of our scene, mixing new label signings, cool new records being played in our clubs and a couple of oldies. It sold well to the then small scene and set the template for a series, that in the wake of the international success of The Brand New Heavies, Jamiroquai, The James Taylor Quartet and others exploded. By the time that Volume 5 appeared, we were selling tens of thousands of copies, with major label artists vying for inclusion.

By that point ‘Totally Wired’ was a phenomenon, that sign-posted changes in both the directions of new music, but of the oldies that were played on the scene. It gave DJs new tunes to play and soundtracked 1000s of Cafés and bars the world over in the age of the CD. It was largely retired at the end of the 90s and as times changed.

Over the years we have been asked to return to the scene of the crime, but it has never quite felt right, until now. With vinyl back, and the need for easy to digest compilations becoming neccessary in the chaos of streaming’s ‘I can listen to anything I want, but can’t think what that might be’ is evident, but also we are feeling excited about where Acid Jazz is right now. New artists on the label are making great records, Matt Berry has a Top thirty album, and The Brand New Heavies are headlining the Royal Albert Hall. It’s easy to make an exciting album when that is happening.

So we are releasing “Totally Wired: A New Collection From Acid Jazz” and treating it like the important milestone that it is. From the Acid Jazz sid we have new and exclusive recordings by Matt Berry, Chris Bangs and new signings Earth-o-Naut and Quiet Fire, there is also a recent white label only 45 cut by the Soul Revivers – released ahead of their new album due this Autumn and featuring Kokoroko’s Shiela Maurice-Grey and Anoushka Nanguy. For the oldies we have dug deep into our own archives to bring you the Acid Jazz Orchestra’s version of Corduroy’s ‘Something In My Eye’ and The Brand New Heavies astounding funk take of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Rock Steady’. These are all joined by recent scene records by Carmy Love – one of the greatest voices in the UK – The Romero Brothers, and BDQ, carrying the series onwards at last.

Released in 1979, "Tutti Fluti" is undoubtedly one of Teddy Lasry’s most unique and poetic albums.
Entirely centered on flutes, of which he is an undisputed master, this record offers a dreamlike dive into
ethereal jazz, naturalistic ambient, and subtle electronic experimentation.
Teddy Lasry, an original member of Magma, is known for his distinctive approach to wind instruments
and synthesizers. As a composer, performer, and texture inventor, he builds here a delicate,
contemplative, and timeless sound world.
On Tutti Fluti, flutes become voices, breath, wind, and a call to the imagination. Accompanied by
luminous keyboards and subtle rhythms, they shape an organic, soft, and introspective music—perfect
for active meditation or immersive listening.
A rare and atypical album, Tutti Fluti now finds its place among the great classics of auteur library
music, between spiritual jazz and the imagined soundtrack of a film never made.
Limited edition – A precious reissue for collectors, dreamer flutists, and sonic explorers.

Released in 1979, "Tutti Fluti" is undoubtedly one of Teddy Lasry’s most unique and poetic albums.
Entirely centered on flutes, of which he is an undisputed master, this record offers a dreamlike dive into
ethereal jazz, naturalistic ambient, and subtle electronic experimentation.
Teddy Lasry, an original member of Magma, is known for his distinctive approach to wind instruments
and synthesizers. As a composer, performer, and texture inventor, he builds here a delicate,
contemplative, and timeless sound world.
On Tutti Fluti, flutes become voices, breath, wind, and a call to the imagination. Accompanied by
luminous keyboards and subtle rhythms, they shape an organic, soft, and introspective music—perfect
for active meditation or immersive listening.
A rare and atypical album, Tutti Fluti now finds its place among the great classics of auteur library
music, between spiritual jazz and the imagined soundtrack of a film never made.
Limited edition – A precious reissue for collectors, dreamer flutists, and sonic explorers.

The follow up to the critically acclaimed 'Environments', the new album takes a new, more melodic orientated path for the band.
The album is truly epic; 14 tracks and 57 minutes of strings, choirs, sea sounds, cellos, light beats and, of course, everything that made the first Environments album great.
Since the original release of the CD in 2008, and subsequent releases in the series to 'Environment 5' in 2014, there has been growing demand for vinyl and so for the first time this year we bring 'Environments 2' in that format. (CD TOT 62 still available)

Makhunik Records Presents: "Withdrawals" - A Bold New Vinyl Release by RAKANS Withdrawals, the highly anticipated follow-up to Emergence EP and Deep State (Midnight Stallion) EP, marks a bold new chapter in RAKANS's ever-evolving sonic journey.

Set for release on I Makhunik Records, Withdrawals explores the tension between desire and detachment, featuring five tracks that blur the lines between electronic, experimental, and club sounds. Available on vinyl, Withdrawals invites listeners to experience the raw and intimate emotions that inspired its creation. Following the success of Emergence EP (Gently Leftfield Techno from a Core Dresden Artist - Resident Advisor/Single Review by Andrew Ryce) and Deep State (Midnight Stallion) EP on Boudica, which gained recognition for their atmospheric intricacies and deep, immersive textures, Withdrawals delves deeper into personal and societal themes, paired with the artist's signature ethereal soundscapes and captivating beats. Each track carries a narrative, from late-night reflection to hedonistic encounters, with a pulsating intensity that mirrors the artist's own process of creative and emotional release. With Withdrawals, RAKANS continues to push boundaries, creating a profound listening experience that resonates both in its melancholy and its intensity.

Description of the Title: The title Withdrawals reflects a state of emotional and mental transition, where one is caught between the craving for connection and the unsettling effects of isolation. It symbolizes the artist's inner turmoil and process of reclaiming personal agency after experiences of burnout and separation. The tracks are an expression of that journey-tracking the highs and lows of life in a world that constantly demands more. Through these melodies, RAKANS has captured the intensity of longing and the aftermath of desire, inviting listeners to confront their own internal conflicts. The narrative is personal yet universally relatable, and the title speaks to the often painful but necessary process of letting go, detoxifying from past habits, and learning to be at peace with oneself. "With Withdrawals, He wanted to channel the emotions that often come from the struggle between desire and self-preservation, between the drive to connect and the need to retreat. he's journey, both as an artist and as an individual, has been filled with moments of intense reflection, self-discovery, and sometimes, disconnection.

These tracks are the culmination of that inner conflict, a raw exploration of what it means to both lose oneself and find a deeper, often painful, form of clarity. Like the music he's created before, the sound of Withdrawals speaks to the space between tension and release, the liminal space where truth is often revealed in its most vulnerable form. He's always believed that music is a mirror to the soul, and in this EP, He's tried to reflect that feeling of being both pulled in and out of something greater. It's a raw and intimate look at the way we navigate modern life, often feeling like we're running toward something that we can't quite reach, yet constantly pulled back into our own personal truths.

This EP is personal, but it's also for anyone who's ever felt caught between two worlds, the one they want and the one they need. I hope it resonates with listeners who are experiencing their own form of withdrawal, whether it's from people, places, or even from themselves.

Welcome to the first instalment of a new collaboration between The Reflex’ DISCOLIDAYS label and Because Music in Paris, remixing gems from the Zagora catalogue.

Created in 1975 by producer Daniel Vangarde (father of Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter), the Zagora label created some of the most exciting disco music in France, ranging from cult underground artists Who’s Who and Starbow, to massive international hits by the Gibson Brothers, la Compagnie Créole and Black Blood. Unearthing the multitrack for obscure cuts, The Reflex shifts the focus on the great studio musicians involved in these recordings (Wally Badarou amongst others) and delivers stunning revisions of ‘Harlem Bound’, a
131bpm jazz-funk disco powerhouse cut (1977) and ‘Dancin’ The Mambo’, a 122bpm Chic-esque meets early piano House monster laced with that unmistakable French sound, originally released in 1980.

Both first time-ever remixes from the stems, released on 180g vinyl with custom artwork on card sleeve designed by Al Kent / Million Dollar Disco.

Three more releases will follow, to complete the 4 x 12” vinyl and digital package spread over several months in 2024.

In an ever-expanding musical universe, Azymuth have long existed as a celestial giant, drawing countless artists, musicians and followers into their orbit. Marking fifty years since their 1975 debut album Azimuth, their new album Marca Passo proves that the band’s alchemic brew of Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic samba soul remains as vital as ever, as the group honours the profound legacy of their departed founders.

Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Marca Passo is the first full-length release since the passing of founding drummer Ivan "Mamão" Conti in 2023, following the earlier loss of keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami in 2012. Alex Malheiros, the sole remaining original member, sees his stewardship of the band’s musical legacy as his spiritual duty. He is joined by the equally devoted Kiko Continentino (Milton Nascimento, Djavan) on keyboards, who has been with the group since 2016, and new recruit Renato Massa (Marcos Valle, Ed Motta) on drums.

Yet since their earliest recorded music, Azymuth have always been far greater than the sum of their parts. The "three-man orchestra’s" unmistakable sound is rooted in Brazil's MPB studio scene of the 1970s and early 1980s—a time when artists blended traditional Brazilian rhythms with global jazz, rock, and emerging psychedelic and progressive elements. Marca Passo continues this legacy, seamlessly fusing Brazilian musical traditions with global influences while showcasing the exceptional musicianship that powers Azymuth's distinctive, multi-dimensional sound.

The album is produced by studio mastermind Daniel Maunick, responsible for Azymuth’s two previous studio albums, Fênix in 2016 and Aurora in 2011. Daniel’s credits also include albums by Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Terry Callier. Azymuth also invited Daniel’s father, British jazz-funk royalty Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, of Incognito, to play guitar on a new version of Azymuth’s eighties classic “Last Summer In Rio”, in tribute to the song’s composer, José Roberto Bertrami. Equally, “Samba Pro Mamao” is a new composition dedicated to Azymuth’s beloved original drummer, Ivan “Mamão” Conti.

Credits:

Alex Malheiros - Bass, Acoustic Guitar & Vocals: 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Kiko Continentino - Keyboards, Organ, Vocoder & Vocals: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Renato Massa - Drums & Vocals: : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10
Ian Moreira - Percussion: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10
Sidinho Moreira - Percussion: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Dudu Viana - Keyboards & Vocals: 1
Victor Bertrami - Drums: 1
Mangueirinha - Repinique: 3
Jean Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick - Electric Guitar: 5
Jose Carlos Bigorna - Soprano Sax: 9
Daniel Maunick: Additional Percussion, Synths & EFX: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Produced, Engineered, Mixed & Arranged by Daniel Maunick
Co-Produced & Arranged by Alex Malheiros
Executive Producer: Joe Davis


Recorded by:
Daniel Maunick & Leonardo Vieira @ Estúdio Nos Trilhos, Santa Teresa, Rio, Brazil
Daniel Maunick & Amadeu Signorelli @ Sigstudio, Niterói, Rio, Brazil
Daniel Maunick & Alex Malheiros @ Estúdio Basslab, Piratininga, Rio, Brazil
Mixed by Daniel Maunick @ The Sugar Shack, Carluke, Scotland


Artwork & Design: Tyler Askew

Ten years, a compilation. It"s not a conclusion, nor a greatest hits. More like a pause, a moment to reflect - a look back to better move forward. Since 2015, Les Disques Bongo Joe have been navigating instinctively, yet with a compass all their own: a love for free-spirited sound, a curiosity for the undefined, and a clear idea of what a label can be - a space for listening, care, and invention. The compilation offers a journey - subjective, fluid, and unapologetic - through ten years of sonic activism. A selection of tracks drawn from the label"s corners and crevices: from early releases to recent ones, from essentials to rarities, from cult reissues to contemporary works that carry the label"s energy forward. The record flows between raw intensity and sonic finesse, between remastered archives and flashes of electronics, between fragile voices and hammered percussion.

Ottagono Italian Dojo presents the second release on the Ottagono Retro outlet imprint label through South America. This special occasion marks the opening of a second Ottagono headquarters in Argentina, introducing an exclusive project that blends the essence of the Italian music family. If you’re familiar with Latin American music genres like Rock, Post Punk, Industrial, Minimal Synth, New Wave, Synth Pop, and the broader electronic music scene of the last 40 years, you’ve surely heard of iconic bands such as Virus, Soda Stereo, and Sumo. Among these bands, having in common their birth in Argentina, Alfredo Peria is another influential music pioneer and key figure in the entire Latin American underground movement. In the mid-80s, he founded the techno duo Mimilocos. Because of this, over the years, Alfredo has been renamed the “Juan Atkins de Latino America”. Later in the 90s, he joined major labels like Polygram and BGM, living between Spain and the United States. He founded another project called Limbo with Julio Moura, a member of Virus and brother of Federico Moura. In the late ’90s, he released his first solo album with Fonovisa. After spending years travelling the world, Alfredo returned to Argentina and, alongside Cecilia Olariaga, founded his own production company, Pulpería Discos. The music world once again showcases the strong connection between Argentina and Italy, evident in the heritage of artists and figures like Maestro Alfredo Peria and la familia Ottagono, including the new Latin America manager, Federico Luchetti.

A.1: Sentidos is a new wave Latin American classic! After over 30 years, it finally received its first vinyl release. Originally written in the early ’90s by Alfredo and Julio Moura, then members of Limbo, a band formed after Virus disbanded following the passing of Federico Moura, Julio’s brother, Virus frontman. This updated version, enhanced with synthesizers and additional production by tech wizard Franco Colombo , transforms the original lyrics into a retro-futuristic club anthem with 80s vibes, It captures the essence of early Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, and the Chicago Warehouse scene, while also being a great fit for fans of Juan Atkins and Yellow Magic Orchestra as well.

A.2: Yo soy su Cuba – 3.0 Adicta mix is the latest version inspired by the original demo from the 80s. This mix showcases Electro Tech Synth Pop music created by Alfredo, Rudie Martínez, Joaquín Franco, Juan Pablo Bidegain, Germán Moreno, and Pablo Torterolo, collectively known as Adicta.

A.3: Castillitos de arena – original ’87 demo, it’s a classic in Argentina underground music movement, among fans and people lost in club culture, even though it never got an official release in any format. This was frequently performed during the early years of Mimilocos live shows, but it was never officially released. A few years later in Spain, a Latin pop tropical house version was released, presenting a fresh and entirely different take from the original’s obscure essence marked by minimal synth, EBM, and deep, atmospheric sounds, which thanks to Ottagono family will see the light.

B.1: Gesell – From Villa Gesell to Ibiza, from Alfredo with love to another renowned
“Argentino” known as DJ Alfredo. This is an Ottagono tribute to one of the Isla masters and the Balearic sound. Gesell feels like a fresh 90s UK track by Farley & Heller or DJ Harvey, immersed in the emotive Alfredo Peria landscape—something you could easily hear at Café del Mar during sunset, played by another maestro we all miss, José Padilla.

B.2: Yo soy su Cuba – Now available on vinyl for the very first time, featuring the original demo. There’s not much to add—just sit back and enjoy this pure 80s treasure in all its glory.

B.3: Over the past months, Claudio and Federico have listened to many unreleased
demos and tapes from Alfredo’s extensive musical career. Among them, “7 Days” stood out for its simple beauty and potential as a hit for underground enthusiasts. This track seamlessly combines post-punk, new wave, and tropical Balearic vibes. From ’95 to ’25, it has remained fresh and innovative, once again proving that the Ottagono crew understands the essence of timeless music.

Follo up release by the Wonder Kid from Liverpool on RAWAX!
Terry usher delivers here some great Breakbeat Rave tunes.
Don't miss!

Demon Music group in conjunction with the Hughes family are proud to present the first official compilation of music
from the movies of legendary filmmaker John Hughes, covering the classic eighties period 1983 – 1989.
For anyone growing up in the 1980s, the films of John Hughes are some of the most iconic of the decade and have
created a lasting cultural impact still felt and referenced across TV, film and music. As well as the characters and
stories created in these iconic movies, what made John Hughes’ movies different from the rest was the symbiotic
relationship between scene and music. Whether Cameron Frye staring at the painting in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off set to
The Dream Academy’s “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental)”, Duckie and Andie from Pretty
In Pink at prom set to Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s “If You Leave”, or even Neal and Del’s classic “Those aren’t
pillows” scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles set to Emmylou Harris’ “Back In Baby’s Arms”.
“Music was a huge part of filmmaking for him, it was a thing he seemed to like the most.” Matthew Broderick
Curated by John Hughes’ music supervisor Tarquin Gotch, this 6LP vinyl boxset includes 73 tracks from the movies
National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day
Off, Some Kind Of Wonderful, Planes, Trains And Automobiles, She’s Having A Baby, The Great Outdoors and Uncle
Buck.
“Back when we were working on these movie soundtracks, the best way to send music around the world was the
cassette, by Fedex. We sent John cassettes of newly released music, of demos, of just finished mixes (and in return he
would send VHS videos of the scenes that needed music).” Tarquin Gotch
The films of John Hughes spawned many classic tracks, some licensed for the films, some commission specifically, and
many going on to become huge international hits from acts such as Simple Minds, Kate Bush, Furniture, Yello, and
The Psychedelic Furs.
“It serves as a reminder not just to the musicians he championed in the 1980s, but to how intensely his search for
music expanded beyond this era. Until his final days, he was still collecting outrageous amounts of music from around
the world, galaxies removed from the New Romantic and new wave sounds that, to many, still define him.” James
Hughes
Also includes an extensive 24-page booklet including memories from Matthew Broderick, James Hughes, Tarquin
Gotch, Ron Payne, plus track-by-track sleeve notes.
“John said he only made movies so he could choose what music to put in them, so as his success at the Box Office
grew, and thus his power with the studios, the number of tracks in his films, by up and coming UK bands, steadily
grew.” Tarquin Gotch


Billy Idol - "Catch My Fall" (From The 1987 Movie 'Some Kind Of Wonderful')
The Association - "Cherish" (From The 1986 Movie 'Pretty In Pink')
Penguin Cafe Orchestra - "Music For A Found Harmonium" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
Zapp - "Radio People" (From The 1986 Movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off')
Blue Room - "Cry Like This" (From The 1987 Movie 'Some Kind Of Wonderful')
Ray Charles - "Mess Around" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
Joe Turner - "Lipstick, Powder & Paint" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
Darlene Love - " (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Marvin Gaye - "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
Perry Como/Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra/The Ray Charles Singers - "Juke Box Baby" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
The Chordettes - "Mr Sandman" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
Ray Anthony & His Orchestra - "The Peter Gunn Theme" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Lindsey Buckingham - "Holiday Road" (From The 1983 Movie 'National Lampoon's Vacation')
Emmylou Harris - "Back In Baby's Arms" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
Hugh Harris - "Rhythm Of Life" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
Spandau Ballet - "True" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Propaganda - "Abuse" (From The 1987 Movie 'Some Kind Of Wonderful')
The Dream Academy - "The Edge Of Forever" (From The 1986 Movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off')
Yello - "Lost Again" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
Bryan Ferry - "Crazy Love" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
The Rave-Ups - "Positively Lost Me" (From The 1986 Movie 'Pretty In Pink')
Los Lobos - "Don't Worry Baby" (From The 1985 Movie 'Weird Science')
Steve Earle - "Continental Trailways Blues" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
The Revillos - "Rev Up" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Boston - "More Than A Feeling" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
Balaam & The Angel - "I'll Show You Something Special" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
The Rave-Ups - "Rave Up/Shut Up" (From The 1986 Movie 'Pretty In Pink')
Pop Will Eat Itself - "Beaver Patrol" (From The 1988 Movie 'The Great Outdoors')
The Vapors - "Turning Japanese" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Silicon Teens - "Red River Rock" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
out

First time vinyl reissue, expanded and deluxe double gatefold 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork and fresh liners written by Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours)
Alan James Eastwood's glorious Seeds is a certified folk-funk lost-classic.

But who was Alan James Eastwood? He had never hit the big time and commercial success eluded him. By the mid-1970s, his musical career was pretty much over and he was almost unknown except among deep heads, amongst whom he would gain cult status.

Original copies of the 1971 vinyl release of Seeds exchange hands for high sums, if you can find one. This expanded 2LP contains an extra record, collecting 9 rare non-album singles and is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned liner notes courtesy of Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours).

With the long overdue deluxe reissue of this prized artefact, we hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Alan James Eastwood. RIYL Nick Drake, Rodriguez, Richie Havens.

Alan James ‘Bugsy’ Eastwood was a renowned musician and singer who came to prominence in the late 1960s with The Exception, an unsung but excellent band from Birmingham. The Exception released many singles, the first featuring friend Robert Plant on tambourine, before an album, The Exceptional Exception. However, by this time, Bugsy was feeling constrained and restless; he left the band within weeks of the release.

Having vanished from the scene, he was honing a deeper, introspective edge to his songwriting. His demos found their way to the sound engineer and producer Mike Cooper at Pan Music Studios in Denmark Street. Loving what he heard, Eastwood soon entered a recording session with Cooper. The session was just Alan, his guitar and harmonica and - by all accounts - it was remarkable. With the songs, the voice and such an exceptional talent, it was hard to go wrong. Says Mike: "We had John Hawkins do the big string arrangements and Richard Hewson arranged the string quartet. We overdubbed the orchestrations on Alan's original session recordings, adding Chris Karan on tabla and various percussion. We considered re-recording the vocals but found that the magic on that original session was so exceptional overdubbing would not be as good as the atmospheric 'live' performance."

Mike and Alan viewed each track as a different entity, giving the album a diverse sonic palette. Assessing each song individually, they decided which would be suitable for each arranger. Top-flight session musicians were added to the roster to complete the sound, with Byron Lye Fook (father of musician Omar) on drums, bassist Mike Ward, Brian Pickles on marimba and jazz drummer Chris Karan on tabla and percussion. Recorded in a matter of days in Pan's small 8-track studio, they carefully added overdubs, rhythm sections and four string sessions arranged by Hawkins, with Hewson's arrangements recorded at Trident Studios.

Seeds was Alan James Eastwood's debut solo album – indeed, his only solo album - and was originally issued on President in 1971. It melded Eastwood’s impressive rock sensibilities with a folk thread to superb effect. His arresting voice - its deep, rough-hewn soulfulness - coupled with gorgeous string-drenched backing, make this a phenomenal listen. It really is a great 70s singer-songwriter record - with touches of acid-folk and folk-funk throughout.

It opens with "She's Getting Married In August", a mellow tune with Richard Hewson's strings arranged around Alan's straightforward guitar structure. Up next, the joyous, sun-dappled guitar and strings workout "Evenin' Rain" glides by before the fragile, accordion-enhanced "Les Papillons" breezes out of the speakers. The bluesy "Zeena" follows, featuring vocals and acoustic guitar and showcasing Eastwood's effortless harmonica. Starting out as a ballad, "Virgin Morn" builds with soaring strings and gospel-tinged backing vocals from Marilyn Powell and jazz singer Josephine Stahl. The A-side closes with the title track, "Seeds". With a chugging mid-tempo beat, soulful vocals and a beautiful Bacharach-esque string arrangement, it truly is stop-you-in-your-tracks spectacular.

Side B opens with "Crystal Blue", gilded by Lye Fook's marimba, lush gospel-esque backing vocals and handclaps. Eastwood's acoustic guitar begins "Lady Carole", which starts as a bluesy ballad and builds with more string arrangement, lifting the track to another height. A towering highlight of epic proportions, "Lotus Child" is a true masterpiece of arrangement. It opens with simple yet stunning do-do-dah vocal harmonies blended with John Hawkins's strings, bass lines and rhythmic beats, forming a vibe very much in conversation with the sounds coming from LA's Laurel Canyon. Next up, the heartwarming "Last Prayer", dedicated to Alan's first and last love, contains a melancholic vocal with a wistful string-drenched arrangement that would sit comfortably in a Federico Fellini score. Bringing the album to a close, "Hymn For Today" is a melodic raga with tabla, strings and a soft-psych feel. Eastwood's prophetic whisper - "I am real. At last, I am real" - profoundly hits home.

Kicking off the extra disc is the sparsely funky and country-tinged "Boston", released as the flip to the astonishing "Seeds". Next up are the two tracks that comprised Alan’s debut solo 7" single from 1968. The laconic, Bobby Charles-esque "Blackbird Charlie" evidences a real depth and charm in Eastwood's songwriting whilst the starkly brilliant flip, "My Sun", was a horizontal, atmospheric folk-tinged soundtracky precursor to his later work on Seeds.

In 1972, two further standalone singles followed. The first was the evergreen flute-driven folk-funk bomb, "Closer To The Truth", backed by the funky blues of "Strange News". The second, a deeply moving Havens-inspired "Moonchild" - rightly fawned over to this day - was flipped with "Red Shoe Truckin'", a groove-infused track. Eastwood also paired up with Marilyn Powell for a single produced by Powell's partner, Mike Cooper. Under the name Eastwood & Powell, they released their staggering rendition of "Beautiful", a rock-blues-pop song arranged by Ivor Raymonde and written by Carole King. Over on the flip, a funky Eastwood original "Opal Blue Sunday" lurked. This is not to be overlooked.

Over the years, Alan remained active on the music scene, but problems with alcohol and health complications from diabetes severely impacted his career. He spent his latter years living in London until his untimely death from heart failure on 25 October 2007, just one day before his 62nd birthday and without his music having received the real acclaim it so dearly deserved.

This deluxe reissue, spellbinding from beginning to end, should hopefully go some way to rectifying this tragic fact. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The original artwork has been lovingly brought back to life at Be With HQ, with the addition of passionately written liner notes specially for this landmark reissue by none other than Paul Hillery.

Shawn Rudiman returns to Pittsburgh Tracks with his first full length since 2021’s Flow State.

“Reality in Quotes” is a complete statement from beginning to end... in the artist’s own words:

"Our perception, rational thought and intellect are the only way we discern what we even dare call reality. You can use any information you like, but we make our own realities from moment to moment.

Thank you to: my lady for understanding me; Pittsburgh Tracks for the friendship and wanting to release this album; Chase Smith for the great equipment help; Angie Linder / DTM for the live gig help and representation.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this release, and any release I've done over the last 27 years. It's humbling to still be able to make music and to play out.

Reality is the only word in the language that should always be used in quotes."

The Deku Trio's cozy Legend of Zelda coffeehouse jazz album

Jazz band The Deku Trio is back for an encore in Zelda & Jazz II, an 18-track smooth jazz Legend of Zelda tribute album. Featuring intimate piano, upright bass, and mellow drums, The Deku Trio reimagines the music of The Legend of Zelda with influences ranging from lounging bossa nova to coffeehouse jazz. Zelda & Jazz II features music from across The Legend of Zelda series. Highlights include Nintendo 64 classics Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time, GameCube releases Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker, hand-held titles Link's Awakening and Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword for the Wii, and the Super Nintendo's A Link to the Past. This wide-ranging tribute is topped off with artwork and character designs by comic and environmental artist Christian Benavides (League of Legends). The brainchild of Rob Araujo (Chillhop) and Chris Davidson (GameChops), The Deku Trio features rich reharmonizations on piano, gentle drums, and lush upright basslines, with mixes by Curran Sinha in Los Angeles.
The Deku Trio crafts an intimate smooth jazz tribute to the timeless Legend of Zelda series.

Der offizielle Soundtrack zu "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" von Evan Call ist jetzt als Doppel-Vinyl erhältlich. Diese exklusive 2-LP-Ausgabe bringt die emotionalen Höhepunkte von Frierens Reise auf den Plattenteller - eine Reise voller Freundschaft, Verbundenheit und der Kostbarkeit gemeinsamer Zeit. Die zwei coloured LPs (in Smaragdgrün und Kobaltblau) kommen in einem liebevoll designten Gatefold und mit einem Insert mit Original-Illustrationen. Ein Must-Have für alle, die Frieren, Himmel, Heiter und Stark ins Herz geschlossen haben.

Grittier than their previous work, they take techno themes we know and love in a decidedly personal direction, emphatically divorced from current tropes. Each song clearly captures a vibe, some of which are recognisable love letters to the genre and several of which are unrecognisable in a
great way. Their first album show how Neotex have been informed by parts of electronic music which formed a strong impression and then chose with clarity of mind to break with those patterns and carve their own path

At A Glance Records proudly presents its third chapter, AAG003, a standout debut from rising talent Harre.

Harre enters the scene with a confident statement, fusing warm, emotional atmospheres with the timeless swing of classic house. His sound invites listeners into a rich, layered world, where soulful depth meets infectious groove, and storytelling meets rhythm.

Following the warmly received AAG001 and AAG002, this latest release continues to elevate At A Glance’s vision: music that is thoughtful, dynamic, and firmly rooted in the dancefloor spirit. Harre’s intricate arrangements and finely tuned textures mark him as an artist to watch, bringing both maturity and freshness to the label’s growing catalogue.

As an offshoot of Small Great Things., At A Glance stays committed to curating forward-thinking house music with emotional resonance. AAG003 reflects this ethos, a record made for those who dig deep, whether behind the decks or lost in the music.

The third release on the B.I.T. Productions ALTERNATIVE label features another 4 Track E.P. with 4 different artists, K69 Dream Frequency, Stu Chapman, Matty D & Avit & A.PLUS.

The K69 Dream Frequency track is a new 2024 version of the K69 release from 2021, itself a cover of the Elevation track from1992, and it's much more energetic but still keeps the catchy vocals and the hands in the air pianos.
Matty D & Avit "Africa" is the Stu Chapman Remix with plenty of pianos, throbbing bass, strong breakbeat and catchy vocals.
Stu Chapman "Just Can't Get Enough" is a banging breakbeat track with a big piano riff, dirty synths and catchy vocal.
A.PLUS is a piano driven breakbeat track with catchy vocals &nice synth melodies that is even better than the A.PLUS track from COLLECTIVE E.P.1.
A great 4 track E.P.

RAWAX welcomes Luciano Esse to the artist family!
Wow...what a great debut he did for us - we couldn't ask for more!
Classic House Music made in Italy!
Don't miss!